diff --git a/debian/openwebrx.config b/debian/openwebrx.config
index 08364d9..7599342 100755
--- a/debian/openwebrx.config
+++ b/debian/openwebrx.config
@@ -2,5 +2,5 @@
 
 . /usr/share/debconf/confmodule
 
-db_input medium openwebrx/admin_user_password
+db_input medium openwebrx/admin_user_password || true
 db_go
diff --git a/debian/openwebrx.postinst b/debian/openwebrx.postinst
index a2b1e9e..78ba051 100755
--- a/debian/openwebrx.postinst
+++ b/debian/openwebrx.postinst
@@ -17,11 +17,11 @@ case "$1" in
 
     # create initial openwebrx user
     db_get openwebrx/admin_user_password
-    if [ "${RET}" != "__DONE__" ]; then
+    if [ ! -z "${RET}" ] && [ "${RET}" != "__DONE__" ]; then
       OWRX_PASSWORD="${RET}" openwebrx-admin --noninteractive --silent adduser admin
+      # remove actual password from debconf database, but leave a marker
+      db_set openwebrx/admin_user_password "__DONE__"
     fi
-    # remove actual password from debconf database, but leave a marker
-    db_set openwebrx/admin_user_password "__DONE__"
   ;;
   *)
     echo "postinst called with unknown argument '$1'" 1>&2