diff --git a/src/backend/langflow/services/auth/utils.py b/src/backend/langflow/services/auth/utils.py
index a53a182c0..485968a38 100644
--- a/src/backend/langflow/services/auth/utils.py
+++ b/src/backend/langflow/services/auth/utils.py
@@ -37,7 +37,12 @@ async def api_key_security(
     result: Optional[Union[ApiKey, User]] = None
     if settings_manager.auth_settings.AUTO_LOGIN:
         # Get the first user
-        settings_manager.auth_settings.FIRST_SUPERUSER
+        if not settings_manager.auth_settings.FIRST_SUPERUSER:
+            raise HTTPException(
+                status_code=status.HTTP_400_BAD_REQUEST,
+                detail="Missing first superuser credentials",
+            )
+
         result = get_user_by_username(
             db, settings_manager.auth_settings.FIRST_SUPERUSER
         )
@@ -80,6 +85,9 @@ async def get_current_user(
     if isinstance(token, Coroutine):
         token = await token
 
+    if settings_manager.auth_settings.SECRET_KEY is None:
+        raise credentials_exception
+
     try:
         payload = jwt.decode(
             token,
@@ -150,9 +158,9 @@ def create_token(data: dict, expires_delta: timedelta):
 
 
 def create_super_user(
+    username: str,
+    password: str,
     db: Session = Depends(get_session),
-    username: Optional[str] = None,
-    password: Optional[str] = None,
 ) -> User:
     super_user = get_user_by_username(db, username)
 
@@ -176,7 +184,12 @@ def create_user_longterm_token(db: Session = Depends(get_session)) -> dict:
     settings_manager = get_settings_manager()
     username = settings_manager.auth_settings.FIRST_SUPERUSER
     password = settings_manager.auth_settings.FIRST_SUPERUSER_PASSWORD
-    super_user = create_super_user(db, username=username, password=password)
+    if not username or not password:
+        raise HTTPException(
+            status_code=status.HTTP_400_BAD_REQUEST,
+            detail="Missing first superuser credentials",
+        )
+    super_user = create_super_user(db=db, username=username, password=password)
 
     access_token_expires_longterm = timedelta(days=365)
     access_token = create_token(
diff --git a/src/backend/langflow/services/settings/auth.py b/src/backend/langflow/services/settings/auth.py
index 7550d3ddd..c38417502 100644
--- a/src/backend/langflow/services/settings/auth.py
+++ b/src/backend/langflow/services/settings/auth.py
@@ -11,10 +11,11 @@ from langflow.utils.logger import logger
 class AuthSettings(BaseSettings):
     # Login settings
     CONFIG_DIR: str
-    SECRET_KEY: Optional[str] = Field(
-        None,
+    SECRET_KEY: str = Field(
+        default="",
         description="Secret key for JWT. If not provided, a random one will be generated.",
         env="LANGFLOW_SECRET_KEY",
+        allow_mutation=False,
     )
     ALGORITHM: str = "HS256"
     ACCESS_TOKEN_EXPIRE_MINUTES: int = 60
@@ -30,8 +31,18 @@ class AuthSettings(BaseSettings):
     # If AUTO_LOGIN = True
     # > The application does not request login and logs in automatically as a super user.
     AUTO_LOGIN: bool = False
-    FIRST_SUPERUSER: str = "langflow"
-    FIRST_SUPERUSER_PASSWORD: str = "langflow"
+    FIRST_SUPERUSER: Optional[str] = Field(
+        "langflow",
+        description="First super user to be created if AUTO_LOGIN is True.",
+        env="LANGFLOW_FIRST_SUPERUSER",
+        allow_mutation=False,
+    )
+    FIRST_SUPERUSER_PASSWORD: Optional[str] = Field(
+        "langflow",
+        description="First super user password to be created if AUTO_LOGIN is True.",
+        env="LANGFLOW_FIRST_SUPERUSER_PASSWORD",
+        allow_mutation=False,
+    )
 
     pwd_context = CryptContext(schemes=["bcrypt"], deprecated="auto")
 
diff --git a/src/backend/langflow/services/settings/manager.py b/src/backend/langflow/services/settings/manager.py
index 67e06108e..cef212c4e 100644
--- a/src/backend/langflow/services/settings/manager.py
+++ b/src/backend/langflow/services/settings/manager.py
@@ -35,5 +35,11 @@ class SettingsManager(Service):
                 )
 
         settings = Settings(**settings_dict)
-        auth_settings = AuthSettings(CONFIG_DIR=settings.CONFIG_DIR)
+        if not settings.CONFIG_DIR:
+            raise ValueError("CONFIG_DIR must be set in settings")
+        auth_settings = AuthSettings(
+            CONFIG_DIR=settings.CONFIG_DIR,
+            FIRST_SUPERUSER=None,
+            FIRST_SUPERUSER_PASSWORD=None,
+        )
         return cls(settings, auth_settings)