diff --git a/scripts/bootstrap.sh b/scripts/bootstrap.sh
index d28bf8a..f632614 100755
--- a/scripts/bootstrap.sh
+++ b/scripts/bootstrap.sh
@@ -596,12 +596,18 @@ main() {
   check_install_dependencies
   check_required_env_vars
 
-  local user_config_files=("${USER_CONFIGS_DIR}"/*.json)
-  local group_config_files=("${GROUP_CONFIGS_DIR}"/*.json)
+  local user_config_files=()
+  local group_config_files=()
   local user_schema_files=()
   local group_schema_files=()
 
   local file=''
+  [[ -d "$USER_CONFIGS_DIR" ]] && for file in "${USER_CONFIGS_DIR}"/*.json; do
+    user_config_files+=("$file")
+  done
+  [[ -d "$GROUP_CONFIGS_DIR" ]] && for file in "${GROUP_CONFIGS_DIR}"/*.json; do
+    group_config_files+=("$file")
+  done
   [[ -d "$USER_SCHEMAS_DIR" ]] && for file in "${USER_SCHEMAS_DIR}"/*.json; do
     user_schema_files+=("$file")
   done
@@ -647,7 +653,7 @@ main() {
 
   printf -- '\n--- groups ---\n'
   local group_config=''
-  while read -r group_config; do
+  [[ ${#group_config_files[@]} -gt 0 ]] && while read -r group_config; do
     local group_name=''
     group_name="$(printf '%s' "$group_config" | jq --raw-output '.name')"
     create_group "$group_name"
@@ -690,7 +696,7 @@ main() {
   TMP_AVATAR_DIR="$(mktemp -d)"
 
   local user_config=''
-  while read -r user_config; do
+  [[ ${#user_config_files[@]} -gt 0 ]] && while read -r user_config; do
     local field='' id='' email='' displayName='' firstName='' lastName='' avatar_file='' avatar_url='' gravatar_avatar='' weserv_avatar='' password='' password_file=''
     for field in 'id' 'email' 'displayName' 'firstName' 'lastName' 'avatar_file' 'avatar_url' 'gravatar_avatar' 'weserv_avatar' 'password' 'password_file'; do
       declare "$field"="$(printf '%s' "$user_config" | jq --raw-output --arg field "$field" '.[$field]')"