diff --git a/config/initializers/fetch_featured_users.rb b/config/initializers/fetch_featured_users.rb
index 82d903a91..edf576304 100644
--- a/config/initializers/fetch_featured_users.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/fetch_featured_users.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #this breaks seed scripts
 
-unless !ActiveRecord::Base.connection.table_exists?('people') || Rails.env == 'test' || AppConfig[:featured_users].count == Person.featured_users.count
+unless !ActiveRecord::Base.connection.table_exists?('people') || Rails.env == 'test' || AppConfig[:featured_users].nil? || AppConfig[:featured_users].count == Person.featured_users.count
   print "Fetching featured users from remote servers"
   AppConfig[:featured_users].each do |x|
     Webfinger.new(x).fetch