diff --git a/scm-webapp/src/main/java/sonia/scm/lifecycle/SetupContextListener.java b/scm-webapp/src/main/java/sonia/scm/lifecycle/SetupContextListener.java
index eade2c2783..00cf5ffc5a 100644
--- a/scm-webapp/src/main/java/sonia/scm/lifecycle/SetupContextListener.java
+++ b/scm-webapp/src/main/java/sonia/scm/lifecycle/SetupContextListener.java
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ public class SetupContextListener implements ServletContextListener {
     }
 
     private boolean authenticatedGroupDoesNotExists() {
-      return (groupManager.get(AUTHENTICATED) == null);
+      return groupManager == null || groupManager.get(AUTHENTICATED) == null;
     }
 
     private void createAuthenticatedGroup() {