diff --git a/src/db/mod.rs b/src/db/mod.rs
index b4b9ec3..6affdb8 100644
--- a/src/db/mod.rs
+++ b/src/db/mod.rs
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ impl Database {
 
         // NOTE(pcleavelin): for some reason this needs to be a let-binding or else
         // the compiler complains about it being dropped too early (maybe I should update the compiler version)
+        #[allow(clippy::useless_conversion)]
         let guilds = query
             .query_map([], |row| {
                 Ok(Guild {
@@ -68,6 +69,18 @@ impl Database {
         guilds
     }
 
+    pub(crate) fn get_user_count(&self) -> Result<i64> {
+        self.conn.query_row(
+            "
+            SELECT
+                COUNT(username)
+            FROM User
+            ",
+            [],
+            |row| row.get(0),
+        )
+    }
+
     pub(crate) fn get_user_from_api_key(&self, api_key: &str) -> Result<User> {
         self.conn.query_row(
             "
diff --git a/src/page.rs b/src/page.rs
index c5efe60..403763b 100644
--- a/src/page.rs
+++ b/src/page.rs
@@ -46,12 +46,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn home(
             Redirect::to(&format!("{}/login", state.origin))
         })?;
         tracing::info!("user name: {}", user.name);
-        let user_app_permissions = db.get_user_app_permissions(&user.name).map_err(|err| {
-            error!(?err, "failed to get user app permissions");
-            // TODO: change this to returning a error to the client
-            Redirect::to(&format!("{}/error", state.origin))
-        })?;
-
+        let user_app_permissions = db.get_user_app_permissions(&user.name).unwrap_or_default();
         let can_add_guild = user_app_permissions.can(auth::AppPermission::AddGuild);
 
         let client = reqwest::Client::new();
diff --git a/src/routes.rs b/src/routes.rs
index 6b9190a..7773ac5 100644
--- a/src/routes.rs
+++ b/src/routes.rs
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn v2_auth(
         .map_err(|err| Error::Auth(err.to_string()))?;
 
     let db = state.db.lock().await;
-    let needs_setup = db.get_guilds().map_err(Error::Database)?.is_empty();
+    let needs_setup = db.get_user_count().map_err(Error::Database)? == 0;
     let token = if let Some(user) = db
         .get_user(&user.username)
         .map_err(Error::Database)?
@@ -201,19 +201,21 @@ pub(crate) async fn v2_auth(
             auth::AppPermissions(auth::AppPermission::all()),
         )
         .map_err(Error::Database)?;
-    } else {
-        let guilds = db.get_guilds().map_err(Error::Database)?;
-        let mut in_a_guild = false;
-        for guild in guilds {
-            let Some(discord_guild) = discord_guilds
-                .iter()
-                .find(|discord_guild| discord_guild.id == guild.id)
-                else {
-                    continue;
-                };
+    }
 
-            in_a_guild = true;
+    let guilds = db.get_guilds().map_err(Error::Database)?;
+    let mut in_a_guild = false;
+    for guild in guilds {
+        let Some(discord_guild) = discord_guilds
+            .iter()
+            .find(|discord_guild| discord_guild.id == guild.id)
+            else {
+                continue;
+            };
 
+        in_a_guild = true;
+
+        if !needs_setup {
             let now = Utc::now().naive_utc();
             db.insert_user(
                 &user.username,
@@ -223,27 +225,27 @@ pub(crate) async fn v2_auth(
                 now + Duration::seconds(auth.expires_in as i64),
             )
             .map_err(Error::Database)?;
-
-            db.insert_user_guild(&user.username, guild.id)
-                .map_err(Error::Database)?;
-
-            if db.get_user_permissions(&user.username, guild.id).is_err() {
-                db.insert_user_permission(
-                    &user.username,
-                    guild.id,
-                    if discord_guild.owner {
-                        auth::Permissions(auth::Permission::all())
-                    } else {
-                        Default::default()
-                    },
-                )
-                .map_err(Error::Database)?;
-            }
         }
-        if !in_a_guild {
-            return Err(Error::NoGuildFound);
+
+        db.insert_user_guild(&user.username, guild.id)
+            .map_err(Error::Database)?;
+
+        if db.get_user_permissions(&user.username, guild.id).is_err() {
+            db.insert_user_permission(
+                &user.username,
+                guild.id,
+                if discord_guild.owner {
+                    auth::Permissions(auth::Permission::all())
+                } else {
+                    Default::default()
+                },
+            )
+            .map_err(Error::Database)?;
         }
     }
+    if !in_a_guild {
+        return Err(Error::NoGuildFound);
+    }
 
     // TODO: add permissions based on roles