diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 19c97b7..c92a2a1 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](http://semver.org/).
 ### Added
 ### Changed
 ### Fixed
+
+- startup error with invalid create admin config
+
 ### Security
 
 ## [0.9.2]
diff --git a/src/service/user/boot.service.ts b/src/service/user/boot.service.ts
index b441ba8..bd9bc59 100644
--- a/src/service/user/boot.service.ts
+++ b/src/service/user/boot.service.ts
@@ -48,7 +48,11 @@ export class BootService implements OnApplicationBootstrap {
     })
 
     user.set('roles', ['user', 'admin', 'superuser'])
-    await user.save()
+    try {
+      await user.save()
+    } catch (e) {
+      this.logger.error('could not create admin user')
+    }
 
     this.logger.info('new root user created')
   }