diff --git a/.devcontainer/dev.js b/.devcontainer/dev.js
index 054690d4f..1e5177e2d 100644
--- a/.devcontainer/dev.js
+++ b/.devcontainer/dev.js
@@ -6,5 +6,8 @@ module.exports.config = {
   MetadataPath: Path.resolve('metadata'),
   FFmpegPath: '/usr/bin/ffmpeg',
   FFProbePath: '/usr/bin/ffprobe',
-  SkipBinariesCheck: false
+  SkipBinariesCheck: false,
+  // Auto-create root user during initial setup
+  // InitUserName: 'admin',
+  // InitUserPassword: 'password'
 }
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 7379322e8..200156784 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ if (isDev || options['prod-with-dev-env']) {
   if (devEnv.AllowIframe) process.env.ALLOW_IFRAME = '1'
   if (devEnv.BackupPath) process.env.BACKUP_PATH = devEnv.BackupPath
   if (devEnv.ReactClientPath) process.env.REACT_CLIENT_PATH = devEnv.ReactClientPath
+  if (devEnv.InitUserName) process.env.INIT_USER_NAME = devEnv.InitUserName
+  if (devEnv.InitUserPassword) process.env.INIT_USER_PASSWORD = devEnv.InitUserPassword
   process.env.SOURCE = 'local'
   process.env.ROUTER_BASE_PATH = devEnv.RouterBasePath ?? '/audiobookshelf'
 }
diff --git a/server/Server.js b/server/Server.js
index d6f748a1e..65e9cbd73 100644
--- a/server/Server.js
+++ b/server/Server.js
@@ -160,6 +160,9 @@ class Server {
     // Create or set JWT secret in token manager
     await this.auth.tokenManager.initTokenSecret()
 
+    // Auto-create root user if environment variables are set and no root user exists
+    await this.autoCreateRootUser()
+
     await Logger.logManager.init()
 
     await this.cleanUserData() // Remove invalid user item progress
@@ -428,6 +431,30 @@ class Server {
     SocketAuthority.initialize(this)
   }
 
+  async autoCreateRootUser() {
+    if (!Database.hasRootUser && process.env.INIT_USER_NAME) {
+      const initUsername = process.env.INIT_USER_NAME
+      const initPassword = process.env.INIT_USER_PASSWORD || ''
+
+      Logger.info(`[Server] Auto-creating root user "${initUsername}" from environment variables`)
+
+      try {
+        const hashedPassword = initPassword ? await this.auth.localAuthStrategy.hashPassword(initPassword) : ''
+
+        if (!hashedPassword && initPassword) {
+          Logger.warn(`[Server] Failed to hash password for auto-created root user`)
+        } else if (!initPassword) {
+          Logger.warn(`[Server] Creating root user with no password`)
+        }
+
+        await Database.createRootUser(initUsername, hashedPassword, this.auth)
+        Logger.info(`[Server] Successfully auto-created root user "${initUsername}"`)
+      } catch (error) {
+        Logger.error(`[Server] Failed to auto-create root user:`, error)
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
   async initializeServer(req, res) {
     Logger.info(`[Server] Initializing new server`)
     const newRoot = req.body.newRoot