diff --git a/bin/www b/bin/www
index af91c2c40..6ebfc6944 100755
--- a/bin/www
+++ b/bin/www
@@ -13,27 +13,31 @@ process.env.DEBUG = process.env.TALK_DEBUG;
 const app = require('../app');
 const debug = require('debug')('talk:server');
 const http = require('http');
+const initPromise = require('../init');
+let server;
 
-/**
- * Get port from environment and store in Express.
- */
+initPromise.then(() => {
+  /**
+  * Get port from environment and store in Express.
+  */
 
-const port = normalizePort(process.env.TALK_PORT || '3000');
-app.set('port', port);
+  const port = normalizePort(process.env.TALK_PORT || '3000');
+  app.set('port', port);
 
-/**
- * Create HTTP server.
- */
+  /**
+  * Create HTTP server.
+  */
 
-const server = http.createServer(app);
+  server = http.createServer(app);
 
-/**
- * Listen on provided port, on all network interfaces.
- */
+  /**
+  * Listen on provided port, on all network interfaces.
+  */
 
-server.listen(port);
-server.on('error', onError);
-server.on('listening', onListening);
+  server.listen(port);
+  server.on('error', onError);
+  server.on('listening', onListening);
+});
 
 /**
  * Normalize a port into a number, string, or false.
diff --git a/init.js b/init.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9c3c2bda5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/init.js
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+const Setting = require('./models/setting');
+
+const defaults = {id: '1', moderation: 'pre'};
+module.exports = Setting.init(defaults);
+
+// presumably this file will grow, which is why I've broken it out.
diff --git a/models/setting.js b/models/setting.js
index 15c457307..a9b60abb8 100644
--- a/models/setting.js
+++ b/models/setting.js
@@ -11,6 +11,14 @@ const SettingSchema = new Schema({
   }
 });
 
+/**
+ * this is run once when the app starts to ensure settings are populated
+ * @return {Promise} null initialize the global settings object
+ */
+SettingSchema.statics.init = function (defaults) {
+  return this.update({id: '1'}, {$setOnInsert: defaults}, {upsert: true});
+};
+
 /**
  * gets the entire settings record and sends it back
  * @return {Promise} settings the whole settings record