diff --git a/lerna.json b/lerna.json
index 7186c0ca17..94ca18985e 100644
--- a/lerna.json
+++ b/lerna.json
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 {
-  "version": "2.22.16",
+  "version": "2.22.17",
   "npmClient": "yarn",
   "packages": [
     "packages/*",
diff --git a/packages/backend-core/src/users/db.ts b/packages/backend-core/src/users/db.ts
index 04d3264e6f..6165a68e57 100644
--- a/packages/backend-core/src/users/db.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-core/src/users/db.ts
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ type GroupFns = {
   getGroupBuilderAppIds: GroupBuildersFn
 }
 type CreateAdminUserOpts = {
+  password?: string
   ssoId?: string
   hashPassword?: boolean
   requirePassword?: boolean
@@ -501,9 +502,9 @@ export class UserDB {
   static async createAdminUser(
     email: string,
     tenantId: string,
-    password?: string,
     opts?: CreateAdminUserOpts
   ) {
+    const password = opts?.password
     const user: User = {
       email: email,
       password,
diff --git a/packages/server/src/app.ts b/packages/server/src/app.ts
index aa96a30b00..75da54cbaf 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/app.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/app.ts
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ async function start() {
   app = koa.app
   server = koa.server
   // startup includes automation runner - if enabled
-  await startup(app, server)
+  await startup({ app, server })
 }
 
 start().catch(err => {
diff --git a/packages/server/src/startup.ts b/packages/server/src/startup/index.ts
similarity index 80%
rename from packages/server/src/startup.ts
rename to packages/server/src/startup/index.ts
index 2cedda1099..48d500a0cf 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/startup.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/startup/index.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-import env from "./environment"
-import * as redis from "./utilities/redis"
-import { generateApiKey, getChecklist } from "./utilities/workerRequests"
+import env from "../environment"
+import * as redis from "../utilities/redis"
+import { generateApiKey, getChecklist } from "../utilities/workerRequests"
 import {
   events,
   installation,
@@ -9,22 +9,22 @@ import {
   users,
   cache,
 } from "@budibase/backend-core"
-import fs from "fs"
-import { watch } from "./watch"
-import * as automations from "./automations"
-import * as fileSystem from "./utilities/fileSystem"
-import { default as eventEmitter, init as eventInit } from "./events"
-import * as migrations from "./migrations"
-import * as bullboard from "./automations/bullboard"
+import { watch } from "../watch"
+import * as automations from "../automations"
+import * as fileSystem from "../utilities/fileSystem"
+import { default as eventEmitter, init as eventInit } from "../events"
+import * as migrations from "../migrations"
+import * as bullboard from "../automations/bullboard"
 import * as pro from "@budibase/pro"
-import * as api from "./api"
-import sdk from "./sdk"
-import { initialise as initialiseWebsockets } from "./websockets"
-import { automationsEnabled, printFeatures } from "./features"
+import * as api from "../api"
+import sdk from "../sdk"
+import { initialise as initialiseWebsockets } from "../websockets"
+import { automationsEnabled, printFeatures } from "../features"
+import * as jsRunner from "../jsRunner"
 import Koa from "koa"
 import { Server } from "http"
 import { AddressInfo } from "net"
-import * as jsRunner from "./jsRunner"
+import fs from "fs"
 
 let STARTUP_RAN = false
 
@@ -61,8 +61,11 @@ function shutdown(server?: Server) {
   }
 }
 
-export async function startup(app?: Koa, server?: Server) {
-  if (STARTUP_RAN) {
+export async function startup(
+  opts: { app?: Koa; server?: Server; rerun?: boolean } = {}
+) {
+  const { app, server, rerun } = opts
+  if (STARTUP_RAN && !rerun) {
     return
   }
   printFeatures()
@@ -139,9 +142,9 @@ export async function startup(app?: Koa, server?: Server) {
         try {
           const user = await users.UserDB.createAdminUser(
             bbAdminEmail,
-            bbAdminPassword,
             tenantId,
             {
+              password: bbAdminPassword,
               hashPassword: true,
               requirePassword: true,
               skipPasswordValidation: true,
diff --git a/packages/server/src/startup/tests/startup.spec.ts b/packages/server/src/startup/tests/startup.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ed31bc45b7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/server/src/startup/tests/startup.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+import TestConfiguration from "../../tests/utilities/TestConfiguration"
+import { startup } from "../index"
+import { users, utils, tenancy } from "@budibase/backend-core"
+
+describe("check BB_ADMIN environment variables", () => {
+  const config = new TestConfiguration()
+  beforeAll(async () => {
+    await config.init()
+  })
+
+  it("should be able to create a user with the BB_ADMIN environment variables", async () => {
+    const EMAIL = "budibase@budibase.com",
+      PASSWORD = "budibase"
+    await tenancy.doInTenant(tenancy.DEFAULT_TENANT_ID, async () => {
+      await config.withEnv(
+        {
+          BB_ADMIN_USER_EMAIL: EMAIL,
+          BB_ADMIN_USER_PASSWORD: PASSWORD,
+          MULTI_TENANCY: "0",
+          SELF_HOSTED: "1",
+        },
+        async () => {
+          await startup({ rerun: true })
+          const user = await users.getGlobalUserByEmail(EMAIL, {
+            cleanup: false,
+          })
+          expect(user).toBeDefined()
+          expect(user?.password).toBeDefined()
+          expect(await utils.compare(PASSWORD, user?.password!)).toEqual(true)
+        }
+      )
+    })
+  })
+})
diff --git a/packages/worker/src/api/controllers/global/users.ts b/packages/worker/src/api/controllers/global/users.ts
index 0c1342fa08..4c1af90d38 100644
--- a/packages/worker/src/api/controllers/global/users.ts
+++ b/packages/worker/src/api/controllers/global/users.ts
@@ -146,16 +146,12 @@ export const adminUser = async (
     }
 
     try {
-      const finalUser = await userSdk.db.createAdminUser(
-        email,
-        tenantId,
+      const finalUser = await userSdk.db.createAdminUser(email, tenantId, {
         password,
-        {
-          ssoId,
-          hashPassword,
-          requirePassword,
-        }
-      )
+        ssoId,
+        hashPassword,
+        requirePassword,
+      })
 
       // events
       let account: CloudAccount | undefined