diff --git a/config_example/core.config.example.toml b/config_example/core.config.example.toml
index 71dc5c2f5..ec75ae9d9 100644
--- a/config_example/core.config.example.toml
+++ b/config_example/core.config.example.toml
@@ -16,10 +16,10 @@ jwt_secret = "your_jwt_secret"
 # can be 1-hr, 12-hr, 1-day, 3-day, 1-wk, 2-wk, 30-day
 jwt_valid_for = "1-wk"
 
-# webhook url given by slack app
+# webhook url given by slack app that monitor will send alerts and a daily update to
 slack_url = "your_slack_app_webhook_url"
 
-# token that has to be given to github during webhook config as the secret
+# token that has to be given to github during repo webhook config as the secret
 github_webhook_secret = "your_random_webhook_secret"
 
 # optional. an alternate base url that is used to recieve github webhook requests. if not provided, will use 'host' address as base
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ secret = "your_google_client_secret"
 [mongo]
 uri = "your_mongo_uri"
 app_name = "monitor_core"
-db_name = "monitor"
+db_name = "monitor" # this is the name of the mongo database that monitor will create its collections in.
 
 [aws]
 access_key_id = "your_aws_key_id"
diff --git a/core/src/auth/github.rs b/core/src/auth/github.rs
index 93c2f20a5..93199c108 100644
--- a/core/src/auth/github.rs
+++ b/core/src/auth/github.rs
@@ -68,10 +68,15 @@ async fn callback(
             .context("failed to generate jwt")?,
         None => {
             let ts = monitor_timestamp();
+            let no_users_exist = state.db.users.find_one(None, None).await?.is_none();
             let user = User {
                 username: github_user.login,
                 avatar: github_user.avatar_url.into(),
                 github_id: github_id.into(),
+                enabled: no_users_exist,
+                admin: no_users_exist,
+                create_server_permissions: no_users_exist,
+                create_build_permissions: no_users_exist,
                 created_at: ts.clone(),
                 updated_at: ts,
                 ..Default::default()
diff --git a/core/src/auth/google.rs b/core/src/auth/google.rs
index f77dc0db5..325ca7be1 100644
--- a/core/src/auth/google.rs
+++ b/core/src/auth/google.rs
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ async fn callback(
             .context("failed to generate jwt")?,
         None => {
             let ts = monitor_timestamp();
+            let no_users_exist = state.db.users.find_one(None, None).await?.is_none();
             let user = User {
                 username: google_user
                     .email
@@ -95,6 +96,10 @@ async fn callback(
                     .to_string(),
                 avatar: google_user.picture.into(),
                 google_id: google_id.into(),
+                enabled: no_users_exist,
+                admin: no_users_exist,
+                create_server_permissions: no_users_exist,
+                create_build_permissions: no_users_exist,
                 created_at: ts.clone(),
                 updated_at: ts,
                 ..Default::default()
diff --git a/core/src/auth/local.rs b/core/src/auth/local.rs
index 63e287047..fedc22ed8 100644
--- a/core/src/auth/local.rs
+++ b/core/src/auth/local.rs
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ async fn create_user_handler(
         enabled: no_users_exist,
         admin: no_users_exist,
         create_server_permissions: no_users_exist,
+        create_build_permissions: no_users_exist,
         created_at: ts.clone(),
         updated_at: ts,
         ..Default::default()
diff --git a/docsite/docs/core-setup.md b/docsite/docs/core-setup.md
index 2b9938b0a..cb5514a10 100644
--- a/docsite/docs/core-setup.md
+++ b/docsite/docs/core-setup.md
@@ -1,4 +1,23 @@
 # core setup
 
-monitor core is distributed via dockerhub at [mbecker2020/monitor-core](https://hub.docker.com/r/mbecker2020/monitor-core).
+setting up monitor core is fairly simple. there are some requirements to run monitor core:
+
+ - a valid configuration file
+ - an instance of MongoDB to which monitor core can connect
+ - docker must be installed on the host
+
+## 1. create the configuration file
+
+create a configuration file on the system, for example at `~/.monitor/core.config.toml`, and copy the [example config](https://github.com/mbecker20/monitor/blob/main/config_example/core.config.example.toml). fill in all the necessary information before continuing.
+
+## 2. start monitor core
+
+monitor core is distributed via dockerhub under the public repo [mbecker2020/monitor_core](https://hub.docker.com/r/mbecker2020/monitor-core).
+
+```sh
+docker run -d --name monitor-core \
+	-v $HOME/.monitor/core.config.toml:/config/config.toml \
+	-p 9000:9000 \
+	mbecker2020/monitor-core
+```