diff --git a/doc/source/install/development.rst b/doc/source/install/development.rst
index 3144d2cb..1e7a9296 100644
--- a/doc/source/install/development.rst
+++ b/doc/source/install/development.rst
@@ -455,21 +455,9 @@ on the :doc:`../webapi/v1` page.
 The webclient server also forwards ``/api`` to the API server, so it is also
 possible to use the API by sending requests to http://localhost:9000/api/.
 
-
-Make user an admin - current bug
-================================
-
-Once logged into the webclient, this user needs to be set to admin
-manually due to a current bug in Storyboard.
-
-1. Ensure that you have logged into your Storyboard instance at least once so
-   that your user details are stored in the database.
-
-2. Run mysql and change your user to superadmin::
-
-    mysql -u root -p
-    use storyboard;
-    update users set is_superuser=1;
+The first user who logs in to the StoryBoard instance will be made a
+superuser with full admin privileges, to allow easy configuration of the
+development instance.
 
 
 Optional steps: Seed database with base data
diff --git a/storyboard/api/auth/oauth_validator.py b/storyboard/api/auth/oauth_validator.py
index 9cf43da5..4056b5d7 100644
--- a/storyboard/api/auth/oauth_validator.py
+++ b/storyboard/api/auth/oauth_validator.py
@@ -119,6 +119,10 @@ class SkeletonValidator(RequestValidator):
                      "email": email,
                      "last_login": last_login}
 
+        # Make the first registered user an admin
+        if user_api.user_get_count() == 0:
+            user_dict.update({"is_superuser": True})
+
         if not user:
             user_dict.update({"openid": openid})
             user = user_api.user_create(user_dict)