diff --git a/backend/src/data/db.ts b/backend/src/data/db.ts
index 68395b07..1b0b9c2d 100644
--- a/backend/src/data/db.ts
+++ b/backend/src/data/db.ts
@@ -8,30 +8,30 @@ export let connection: Connection;
 export function connect() {
   if (!connectionPromise) {
     connectionPromise = createConnection().then(async (newConnection) => {
-      if (process.argv.includes('init')) {
-        const staff = (process.env.STAFF ?? "").split(',');
-        // Build the global config
-        const config = {
-          "prefix": "!",
-          "plugins": {
-            "utility": {}
-          }
-        };
-        staff.map(id => config["owners"][id] = 100)
-
-        await newConnection.query(`
-          INSERT IGNORE INTO configs (id, \`key\`, config, is_active, edited_by)
-          VALUES (1, "global", ?, true, 106391128718245888)
-        `, [JSON.stringify(config)])
-      }
       // Verify the DB timezone is set to UTC
       const r = await newConnection.query("SELECT TIMEDIFF(NOW(), UTC_TIMESTAMP) AS tz")
       if (r[0].tz !== "00:00:00") {
         throw new SimpleError(`Database timezone must be UTC (detected ${r[0].tz})`);
       }
 
-      connection = newConnection
-      return newConnection
+      if (process.argv.includes('init')) {
+        const staff = (process.env.STAFF ?? "").split(',');
+        // Build the global config
+        const config = {
+          "prefix": "!",
+          "owners": staff,
+          "plugins": {
+            "utility": {}
+          }
+        };
+
+        await newConnection.query(`
+          INSERT IGNORE INTO configs (id, \`key\`, config, is_active, edited_by)
+          VALUES (1, "global", ?, true, 106391128718245888)
+        `, [JSON.stringify(config)]);
+      }
+      connection = newConnection;
+      return newConnection;
     });
   }