diff --git a/packages/cms/.env.example b/packages/cms/.env.example
index 4f5ae276..92e2b32d 100644
--- a/packages/cms/.env.example
+++ b/packages/cms/.env.example
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@ PAYLOAD_PUBLIC_FRONTEND_URL=http://localhost:3000
 PAYLOAD_PRIVATE_REVALIDATION_KEY=EXAMPLE_REVALIDATION_KEY
 
 # seed database when starting up for the first time.
-# ONLY FOR DEV, do NOT do this for prod
-# also sets up root@tietokilta.fi account with autologin enabled
-#PAYLOAD_PUBLIC_LOCAL_DEVELOPMENT_AND_SEEDING=true
-
+# ONLY FOR DEV, do NOT do this for staging/prod
+# also sets up account with autologin enabled, if not already set up
+#PAYLOAD_PUBLIC_LOCAL_DEVELOPMENT=true
+#PAYLOAD_PUBLIC_DEVELOPMENT_AUTOLOGIN_USERNAME=root@tietokilta.fi
+#PAYLOAD_PUBLIC_DEVELOPMENT_AUTOLOGIN_PASSWORD=root
diff --git a/packages/cms/src/payload.config.ts b/packages/cms/src/payload.config.ts
index 3288f169..e008ed86 100644
--- a/packages/cms/src/payload.config.ts
+++ b/packages/cms/src/payload.config.ts
@@ -18,10 +18,12 @@ export default buildConfig({
     bundler: viteBundler(),
     user: Users.slug,
     autoLogin:
-      process.env.PAYLOAD_PUBLIC_LOCAL_DEVELOPMENT_AND_SEEDING === "true"
+      process.env.PAYLOAD_PUBLIC_LOCAL_DEVELOPMENT === "true" &&
+      process.env.PAYLOAD_PUBLIC_LOCAL_DEVELOPMENT_EMAIL &&
+      process.env.PAYLOAD_PUBLIC_LOCAL_DEVELOPMENT_PASSWORD
         ? {
-            email: "root@tietokilta.fi",
-            password: "root",
+            email: process.env.PAYLOAD_PUBLIC_LOCAL_DEVELOPMENT_EMAIL,
+            password: process.env.PAYLOAD_PUBLIC_LOCAL_DEVELOPMENT_PASSWORD,
           }
         : false,
   },
diff --git a/packages/cms/src/server.ts b/packages/cms/src/server.ts
index 48aa6375..d469685d 100644
--- a/packages/cms/src/server.ts
+++ b/packages/cms/src/server.ts
@@ -21,8 +21,36 @@ const start = async () => {
   await payload.init({
     secret: process.env.PAYLOAD_SECRET!,
     express: app,
-    onInit: (payload) => {
+    onInit: async (payload) => {
       payload.logger.info(`Payload Admin URL: ${payload.getAdminURL()}`);
+      if (process.env.PAYLOAD_PUBLIC_LOCAL_DEVELOPMENT === "true") {
+        const email = process.env.PAYLOAD_PUBLIC_LOCAL_DEVELOPMENT_EMAIL;
+        const password = process.env.PAYLOAD_PUBLIC_LOCAL_DEVELOPMENT_PASSWORD;
+        if (!email || !password) {
+          throw new Error(
+            "PAYLOAD_PUBLIC_LOCAL_DEVELOPMENT_EMAIL and PAYLOAD_PUBLIC_LOCAL_DEVELOPMENT_PASSWORD must be set when PAYLOAD_PUBLIC_LOCAL_DEVELOPMENT is true",
+          );
+        }
+        // check if the user exists, if not, create it
+        const user = await payload.find({
+          collection: "users",
+          where: { email: { equals: email } },
+        });
+        if (user.totalDocs === 0) {
+          payload.logger.warn(`user ${email} not found, creating...`);
+          payload.logger.warn(
+            "NOTE that it is recommended to use the seeding scripts to a get filled database for local development",
+          );
+          await payload.create({
+            collection: "users",
+            data: {
+              email,
+              password,
+            },
+          });
+          payload.logger.warn("Payload autologin enabled!");
+        }
+      }
     },
   });