diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a1c54886..42e51dbb 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ Do not install the [Clusterio mod](https://mods.factorio.com/mod/clusterio), thi
 
 ## Running Clusterio
 
-After completing the installation start up the controller and at least one host separately.
+After completing the installation and creating your admin user, start up the controller and at least one host separately.
 The installer provides the `run-controller` and `run-host` scripts to make this simple.
 Once the controller process is running you can log into the web interface which is hosted by default on http://localhost:8080/ (adjust the port number if you changed it), use the admin authentication token provided from the installation to log in.
 
diff --git a/packages/controller/controller.ts b/packages/controller/controller.ts
index e4299534..c83b3d30 100644
--- a/packages/controller/controller.ts
+++ b/packages/controller/controller.ts
@@ -281,6 +281,7 @@ async function initialize(): Promise<InitializeParameters> {
 				type: "boolean", nargs: 0, default: false,
 				describe: "Start the controller in recovery mode with all plugins disabled and hosts disconnected",
 			});
+			yargs.option("check-user-count", { hidden: true, type: "boolean", nargs: 0, default: true });
 			yargs.option("dev", { hidden: true, type: "boolean", nargs: 0 });
 			yargs.option("dev-plugin", { hidden: true, type: "array" });
 		})
@@ -417,6 +418,14 @@ async function startup() {
 		...await Controller.bootstrap(controllerConfig)
 	);
 
+	// Refuse to start if there are no users loaded
+	if (args.checkUserCount && controller.userManager.users.size === 0) {
+		logger.fatal(
+			"Cannot start controller, no users loaded.\n" +
+			"Try `npx clusteriocontroller bootstrap create-admin <username>`");
+		process.exit(1);
+	}
+
 	let secondSigint = false;
 	process.on("SIGINT", () => {
 		if (secondSigint) {