diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index aae180c..d933640 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -73,24 +73,36 @@ async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         .await?
         .unwrap_or(0);
     if user_count == 0 {
-        println!("\nNo users found. Create the first admin account.");
-        print!("Username: ");
-        io::stdout().flush()?;
-        let mut username = String::new();
-        io::stdin().read_line(&mut username)?;
-        let username = username.trim().to_string();
-        if username.is_empty() {
-            anyhow::bail!("username cannot be empty");
-        }
+        let (username, password) = match (
+            std::env::var("MERCURY_ADMIN_USER").ok().filter(|s| !s.is_empty()),
+            std::env::var("MERCURY_ADMIN_PASSWORD").ok().filter(|s| !s.is_empty()),
+        ) {
+            (Some(u), Some(p)) => {
+                tracing::info!("creating first admin user from environment variables");
+                (u, p)
+            }
+            _ => {
+                println!("\nNo users found. Create the first admin account.");
+                print!("Username: ");
+                io::stdout().flush()?;
+                let mut username = String::new();
+                io::stdin().read_line(&mut username)?;
+                let username = username.trim().to_string();
+                if username.is_empty() {
+                    anyhow::bail!("username cannot be empty");
+                }
 
-        print!("Password: ");
-        io::stdout().flush()?;
-        let mut password = String::new();
-        io::stdin().read_line(&mut password)?;
-        let password = password.trim().to_string();
-        if password.is_empty() {
-            anyhow::bail!("password cannot be empty");
-        }
+                print!("Password: ");
+                io::stdout().flush()?;
+                let mut password = String::new();
+                io::stdin().read_line(&mut password)?;
+                let password = password.trim().to_string();
+                if password.is_empty() {
+                    anyhow::bail!("password cannot be empty");
+                }
+                (username, password)
+            }
+        };
 
         let hash = bcrypt::hash(&password, bcrypt::DEFAULT_COST)?;
         sqlx::query(