diff --git a/config.yml.example b/config.yml.example
index 77b717cd..631b2300 100644
--- a/config.yml.example
+++ b/config.yml.example
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ app:
   # wether to allow user registrations
   allowRegistrations: false
   
+  # create a demo account the first time the app starts
+  createDemoAccount: false
+  
   # put your google analytics tracking code here
   googleAnalyticsTrackingCode:
   
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/commafeed/CommaFeedConfiguration.java b/src/main/java/com/commafeed/CommaFeedConfiguration.java
index 640a1a0d..7ff5c3ac 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/commafeed/CommaFeedConfiguration.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/commafeed/CommaFeedConfiguration.java
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@ public class CommaFeedConfiguration extends Configuration {
 		@NotNull
 		private boolean allowRegistrations;
 
+		private boolean createDemoAccount;
+
 		private String googleAnalyticsTrackingCode;
 
 		@NotNull
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/commafeed/backend/service/StartupService.java b/src/main/java/com/commafeed/backend/service/StartupService.java
index ff3e95b8..685f21bc 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/commafeed/backend/service/StartupService.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/commafeed/backend/service/StartupService.java
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import org.hibernate.engine.jdbc.connections.spi.ConnectionProvider;
 import org.hibernate.internal.SessionFactoryImpl;
 
 import com.commafeed.CommaFeedApplication;
+import com.commafeed.CommaFeedConfiguration;
 import com.commafeed.backend.dao.UnitOfWork;
 import com.commafeed.backend.dao.UserDAO;
 import com.commafeed.backend.model.UserRole.Role;
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@ public class StartupService implements Managed {
 	private final SessionFactory sessionFactory;
 	private final UserDAO userDAO;
 	private final UserService userService;
+	private final CommaFeedConfiguration config;
 
 	@Override
 	public void start() throws Exception {
@@ -95,7 +97,9 @@ public class StartupService implements Managed {
 		try {
 			userService.register(CommaFeedApplication.USERNAME_ADMIN, "admin", "admin@commafeed.com", Arrays.asList(Role.ADMIN, Role.USER),
 					true);
-			userService.register(CommaFeedApplication.USERNAME_DEMO, "demo", "demo@commafeed.com", Arrays.asList(Role.USER), true);
+			if (config.getApplicationSettings().isCreateDemoAccount()) {
+				userService.register(CommaFeedApplication.USERNAME_DEMO, "demo", "demo@commafeed.com", Arrays.asList(Role.USER), true);
+			}
 		} catch (Exception e) {
 			log.error(e.getMessage(), e);
 		}
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/commafeed/frontend/resource/UserREST.java b/src/main/java/com/commafeed/frontend/resource/UserREST.java
index 54c9da3d..83466694 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/commafeed/frontend/resource/UserREST.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/commafeed/frontend/resource/UserREST.java
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ public class UserREST {
 			sessionHelper.setLoggedInUser(user.get());
 			return Response.ok().build();
 		} else {
-			return Response.status(Response.Status.UNAUTHORIZED).entity("wrong username or password").build();
+			return Response.status(Response.Status.UNAUTHORIZED).entity("wrong username or password").type(MediaType.TEXT_PLAIN).build();
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -270,7 +270,8 @@ public class UserREST {
 			return Response.ok().build();
 		} catch (Exception e) {
 			log.error(e.getMessage(), e);
-			return Response.status(Status.INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR).entity("could not send email: " + e.getMessage()).build();
+			return Response.status(Status.INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR).entity("could not send email: " + e.getMessage())
+					.type(MediaType.TEXT_PLAIN).build();
 		}
 	}