diff --git a/core/admin/start.py b/core/admin/start.py
index e8de9f77..d8165ff3 100755
--- a/core/admin/start.py
+++ b/core/admin/start.py
@@ -5,11 +5,12 @@ import os
 os.system("flask mailu advertise")
 os.system("flask db upgrade")
 
-if 'INITIAL_ADMIN_ACCOUNT' in os.environ and 'INITIAL_ADMIN_DOMAIN' in os.environ and 'INITIAL_ADMIN_PW'  in os.environ:
-    mode = 'ifmissing'
-    if 'INITIAL_ADMIN_MODE' in os.environ:
-        mode = os.environ['INITIAL_ADMIN_MODE']
-    os.system("flask mailu admin %s %s '%s' --mode %s" % (
-        os.environ['INITIAL_ADMIN_ACCOUNT'], os.environ['INITIAL_ADMIN_DOMAIN'], os.environ['INITIAL_ADMIN_PW'], mode))
+account = os.environ.get("INITIAL_ADMIN_ACCOUNT")
+domain = os.environ.get("INITIAL_ADMIN_DOMAIN")
+password = os.environ.get("INITIAL_ADMIN_PW")
+
+if account is not None and domain is not None and password is not None:
+    mode = os.environ.get("INITIAL_ADMIN_MODE", default="ifmissing")
+    os.system("flask mailu admin %s %s '%s' --mode %s" % (account, domain, password, mode))
 
 os.system("gunicorn -w 4 -b :80 --access-logfile - --error-logfile - --preload 'mailu:create_app()'")