diff --git a/cmd/web/handlers_user.go b/cmd/web/handlers_user.go
index 391eb13..a530641 100644
--- a/cmd/web/handlers_user.go
+++ b/cmd/web/handlers_user.go
@@ -251,6 +251,7 @@ func (app *application) putUserSettings(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request)
 	if !form.Valid() {
 		// TODO: rerender template with errors
 		app.clientError(w, http.StatusUnprocessableEntity)
+		return
 	}
 	user.Settings.LocalTimezone, err = time.LoadLocation(form.LocalTimezone)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/cmd/web/main.go b/cmd/web/main.go
index 5f77602..8faa38d 100644
--- a/cmd/web/main.go
+++ b/cmd/web/main.go
@@ -313,6 +313,10 @@ func runInstaller(i *appInstaller) error {
 	if installed {
 		return nil
 	}
+	err = i.app.users.InitializeSettingsMap()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	i.app.logger.Info("App not installed, running installer...")
 	i.app.logger.Info("Starting installation server", slog.Any("addr", i.srv.Addr))
 	if i.app.debug {