diff --git a/api/cmd/portainer/main.go b/api/cmd/portainer/main.go
index 5d83916be..65e45f216 100644
--- a/api/cmd/portainer/main.go
+++ b/api/cmd/portainer/main.go
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
-	"github.com/portainer/portainer/api"
+	portainer "github.com/portainer/portainer/api"
 	"github.com/portainer/portainer/api/bolt"
 	"github.com/portainer/portainer/api/chisel"
 	"github.com/portainer/portainer/api/cli"
@@ -89,6 +89,10 @@ func initJWTService(dataStore portainer.DataStore) (portainer.JWTService, error)
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	if settings.UserSessionTimeout == "" {
+		settings.UserSessionTimeout = portainer.DefaultUserSessionTimeout
+		dataStore.Settings().UpdateSettings(settings)
+	}
 	jwtService, err := jwt.NewService(settings.UserSessionTimeout)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err