diff --git a/.idea/runConfigurations/komga__bootRun__dev_demo.xml b/.idea/runConfigurations/komga__bootRun__dev_demo_noclaim.xml
similarity index 78%
rename from .idea/runConfigurations/komga__bootRun__dev_demo.xml
rename to .idea/runConfigurations/komga__bootRun__dev_demo_noclaim.xml
index 773f6a079..562a75e10 100644
--- a/.idea/runConfigurations/komga__bootRun__dev_demo.xml
+++ b/.idea/runConfigurations/komga__bootRun__dev_demo_noclaim.xml
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 <component name="ProjectRunConfigurationManager">
-  <configuration default="false" name="komga [bootRun] dev,demo" type="GradleRunConfiguration" factoryName="Gradle">
+  <configuration default="false" name="komga [bootRun] dev,demo,noclaim" type="GradleRunConfiguration" factoryName="Gradle">
     <ExternalSystemSettings>
       <option name="env">
         <map>
-          <entry key="SPRING_PROFILES_ACTIVE" value="dev,demo" />
+          <entry key="SPRING_PROFILES_ACTIVE" value="dev,demo,noclaim" />
         </map>
       </option>
       <option name="executionName" />
diff --git a/.idea/runConfigurations/komga__bootRun__dev_localdb.xml b/.idea/runConfigurations/komga__bootRun__dev_localdb_noclaim.xml
similarity index 91%
rename from .idea/runConfigurations/komga__bootRun__dev_localdb.xml
rename to .idea/runConfigurations/komga__bootRun__dev_localdb_noclaim.xml
index 05a019875..f21603ea8 100644
--- a/.idea/runConfigurations/komga__bootRun__dev_localdb.xml
+++ b/.idea/runConfigurations/komga__bootRun__dev_localdb_noclaim.xml
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 <component name="ProjectRunConfigurationManager">
-  <configuration default="false" name="komga [bootRun] dev,localdb" type="GradleRunConfiguration" factoryName="Gradle">
+  <configuration default="false" name="komga [bootRun] dev,localdb,noclaim" type="GradleRunConfiguration" factoryName="Gradle">
     <ExternalSystemSettings>
       <option name="env">
         <map>
-          <entry key="SPRING_PROFILES_ACTIVE" value="dev,localdb" />
+          <entry key="SPRING_PROFILES_ACTIVE" value="dev,localdb,noclaim" />
         </map>
       </option>
       <option name="executionName" />
diff --git a/.idea/runConfigurations/komga__bootRun__dev_claim.xml b/.idea/runConfigurations/komga__bootRun__dev_noclaim.xml
similarity index 79%
rename from .idea/runConfigurations/komga__bootRun__dev_claim.xml
rename to .idea/runConfigurations/komga__bootRun__dev_noclaim.xml
index 71a486c90..95e82bbe8 100644
--- a/.idea/runConfigurations/komga__bootRun__dev_claim.xml
+++ b/.idea/runConfigurations/komga__bootRun__dev_noclaim.xml
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 <component name="ProjectRunConfigurationManager">
-  <configuration default="false" name="komga [bootRun] dev,claim" type="GradleRunConfiguration" factoryName="Gradle">
+  <configuration default="false" name="komga [bootRun] dev,noclaim" type="GradleRunConfiguration" factoryName="Gradle">
     <ExternalSystemSettings>
       <option name="env">
         <map>
-          <entry key="SPRING_PROFILES_ACTIVE" value="dev,claim" />
+          <entry key="SPRING_PROFILES_ACTIVE" value="dev,noclaim" />
         </map>
       </option>
       <option name="executionName" />
diff --git a/DEVELOPING.md b/DEVELOPING.md
index 92527a5b2..02172a2c6 100644
--- a/DEVELOPING.md
+++ b/DEVELOPING.md
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@ Komga is composed of 2 projects:
 Komga uses Spring Profiles extensively:
 - `dev`: add more logging, disable periodic scanning, in-memory database
 - `localdb`: a dev profile that stores the database in `./testdb`.
+- `noclaim`: will create initial users at startup if none exist and output users and passwords in the standard output
+  - if `dev` is active, will create `admin@example.org` with password `admin`, and `user@example.org` with password `user`
+  - if `dev` is not active, will create `admin@example.org` with a random password
 
 ### Gradle tasks
 
@@ -40,8 +43,8 @@ Here is a list of useful tasks:
 - `jooq-codegen-primary`: generates the jOOQ DSL.
 
 `bootRun` needs to be run with a profile or list of profiles, usually:
-- `dev`: when testing with a blank database
-- `dev,localdb`: when testing with an existing database
+- `dev,noclaim`: when testing with a blank database
+- `dev,localdb,noclaim`: when testing with an existing database
 
 There are few ways you can run the task with a profile:
 - `./gradlew bootRun --args='--spring.profiles.active=dev'`
diff --git a/komga/src/main/kotlin/org/gotson/komga/infrastructure/security/SecurityConfiguration.kt b/komga/src/main/kotlin/org/gotson/komga/infrastructure/security/SecurityConfiguration.kt
index b6a75d1e9..d4804c580 100644
--- a/komga/src/main/kotlin/org/gotson/komga/infrastructure/security/SecurityConfiguration.kt
+++ b/komga/src/main/kotlin/org/gotson/komga/infrastructure/security/SecurityConfiguration.kt
@@ -44,6 +44,9 @@ class SecurityConfiguration(
       // restrict H2 console to ADMIN only
       .requestMatchers(PathRequest.toH2Console()).hasRole(ROLE_ADMIN)
 
+      // claim is unprotected
+      .antMatchers("/api/v1/claim").permitAll()
+
       // all other endpoints are restricted to authenticated users
       .antMatchers(
         "/api/**",
@@ -89,8 +92,7 @@ class SecurityConfiguration(
         "/js/**",
         "/favicon.ico",
         "/",
-        "/index.html",
-        "/api/v1/claim"
+        "/index.html"
       )
   }
 
diff --git a/komga/src/main/kotlin/org/gotson/komga/interfaces/rest/ClaimController.kt b/komga/src/main/kotlin/org/gotson/komga/interfaces/rest/ClaimController.kt
index 8879041ff..1383f0627 100644
--- a/komga/src/main/kotlin/org/gotson/komga/interfaces/rest/ClaimController.kt
+++ b/komga/src/main/kotlin/org/gotson/komga/interfaces/rest/ClaimController.kt
@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@ import org.gotson.komga.domain.model.KomgaUser
 import org.gotson.komga.domain.service.KomgaUserLifecycle
 import org.gotson.komga.interfaces.rest.dto.UserDto
 import org.gotson.komga.interfaces.rest.dto.toDto
-import org.springframework.context.annotation.Profile
 import org.springframework.http.HttpStatus
 import org.springframework.http.MediaType
 import org.springframework.validation.annotation.Validated
+import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.GetMapping
 import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.PostMapping
 import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.RequestHeader
 import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.RequestMapping
@@ -16,13 +16,16 @@ import org.springframework.web.server.ResponseStatusException
 import javax.validation.constraints.Email
 import javax.validation.constraints.NotBlank
 
-@Profile("claim")
 @RestController
 @RequestMapping("api/v1/claim", produces = [MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON_VALUE])
 @Validated
 class ClaimController(
   private val userDetailsLifecycle: KomgaUserLifecycle
 ) {
+
+  @GetMapping
+  fun getClaimStatus() = ClaimStatus(userDetailsLifecycle.countUsers() > 0)
+
   @PostMapping
   fun claimAdmin(
     @Email @RequestHeader("X-Komga-Email") email: String,
@@ -39,4 +42,8 @@ class ClaimController(
       )
     ).toDto()
   }
+
+  data class ClaimStatus(
+    val isClaimed: Boolean
+  )
 }
diff --git a/komga/src/main/kotlin/org/gotson/komga/interfaces/scheduler/InitialUserController.kt b/komga/src/main/kotlin/org/gotson/komga/interfaces/scheduler/InitialUserController.kt
index e34e8f992..ed2e0b64c 100644
--- a/komga/src/main/kotlin/org/gotson/komga/interfaces/scheduler/InitialUserController.kt
+++ b/komga/src/main/kotlin/org/gotson/komga/interfaces/scheduler/InitialUserController.kt
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import org.springframework.stereotype.Component
 
 private val logger = KotlinLogging.logger {}
 
-@Profile("!(test | claim)")
+@Profile("!test & noclaim")
 @Component
 class InitialUserController(
   private val userLifecycle: KomgaUserLifecycle,