diff --git a/app/app.py b/app/app.py
index 87207b4..4ff4dc8 100644
--- a/app/app.py
+++ b/app/app.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 from utils import *
 from library import *
 import titledb
+import os
 
 def init():
     global watcher
@@ -37,6 +38,9 @@ def init():
     titledb.update_titledb(app_settings)
     load_titledb(app_settings)
 
+
+
+
 os.makedirs(CONFIG_DIR, exist_ok=True)
 os.makedirs(DATA_DIR, exist_ok=True)
 
@@ -451,6 +455,9 @@ def on_library_change(events):
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     logger.info('Starting initialization of Ownfoil...')
     init()
+    with app.app_context():
+        init_user_from_environment(environment_name="USER_ADMIN", admin=True)
+        init_user_from_environment(environment_name="USER_GUEST", admin=False)
     logger.info('Initialization steps done, starting server...')
     app.run(debug=False, host="0.0.0.0", port=8465)
     # Shutdown server
diff --git a/app/auth.py b/app/auth.py
index 7ddb855..6f5210d 100644
--- a/app/auth.py
+++ b/app/auth.py
@@ -94,7 +94,52 @@ def basic_auth(request):
 login_manager = LoginManager()
 login_manager.login_view = 'auth.login'
 
+def create_or_update_user(username, password, admin_access=False, shop_access=False, backup_access=False):
+    """
+    Create a new user or update an existing user with the given credentials and access rights.
+    """
+    user = User.query.filter_by(user=username).first()
+    if user:
+        logger.info(f'Updating an existing user {username}')
+        user.admin_access = admin_access
+        user.shop_access = shop_access
+        user.backup_access = backup_access
+        user.password = generate_password_hash(password, method='scrypt')
+    else:
+        logger.info(f'Creating a new user {username}')
+        new_user = User(user=username, password=generate_password_hash(password, method='scrypt'), admin_access=admin_access, shop_access=shop_access, backup_access=backup_access)
+        db.session.add(new_user)
+    db.session.commit()
 
+def init_user_from_environment(environment_name, admin=False):
+    """
+    allow to init some user from environment variable to init some users without using the UI
+    """
+
+
+    username = os.getenv(environment_name + '_NAME')
+    password = os.getenv(environment_name + '_PASSWORD')
+    if username and password:
+        if admin:
+            logger.info('Initializing an admin user from environment variable...')
+            admin_access = True
+            shop_access = True
+            backup_access = True
+        else:
+            logger.info('Initializing a regular user from environment variable...')
+            admin_access = False
+            shop_access = True
+            backup_access = False
+
+        if not admin:
+            existing_admin = admin_account_created()
+            if not existing_admin and not admin_access:
+                logger.error(f'Error creating user {username}, first account created must be admin')
+                return
+
+        create_or_update_user(username, password, admin_access, shop_access, backup_access)
+
+            
 @auth_blueprint.route("/login", methods=["GET", "POST"])
 def login():
     if request.method == "GET":
@@ -192,11 +237,7 @@ def signup_post():
         return jsonify(resp)
 
     # create a new user with the form data. Hash the password so the plaintext version isn't saved.
-    new_user = User(user=username, password=generate_password_hash(password, method='scrypt'), admin_access=admin_access, shop_access=shop_access, backup_access=backup_access)
-
-    # add the new user to the database
-    db.session.add(new_user)
-    db.session.commit()
+    create_or_update_user(username, password, admin_access, shop_access, backup_access)
     
     logger.info(f'Successfully created user {username}.')
 
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index ef29286..02f89e0 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -8,8 +8,14 @@ services:
       # For write permission in config directory
       - PUID=1000
       - PGID=1000
+      # to create/update an admin user at startup
+      # - USER_ADMIN_NAME=admin
+      # - USER_ADMIN_PASSWORD=asdvnf!546
+      # to create/update a regular user at startup
+      # - USER_GUEST_NAME=guest
+      # - USER_GUEST_PASSWORD=oerze!@8981
     volumes:
       - /your/game/directory:/games
       - ./config:/app/config
     ports:
-      - "8465:8465"
\ No newline at end of file
+      - "8465:8465"