diff --git a/docker/scripts/install.sh b/docker/scripts/install.sh
index c08b49729..15c20561d 100644
--- a/docker/scripts/install.sh
+++ b/docker/scripts/install.sh
@@ -166,9 +166,9 @@ fi
 
 if $MIGRATION_MODE; then
     # Read DB credentials from .env (fall back to defaults from docker-compose.yml)
-    DB_USER=$(grep '^DB_USER=' "${INSTALL_DIR}/.env" 2>/dev/null | cut -d= -f2 | tr -d '"' | head -1)
-    DB_PASS=$(grep '^DB_PASSWORD=' "${INSTALL_DIR}/.env" 2>/dev/null | cut -d= -f2 | tr -d '"' | head -1)
-    DB_NAME=$(grep '^DB_NAME=' "${INSTALL_DIR}/.env" 2>/dev/null | cut -d= -f2 | tr -d '"' | head -1)
+    DB_USER=$(grep '^DB_USER=' "${INSTALL_DIR}/.env" 2>/dev/null | cut -d= -f2 | tr -d '"' | head -1 || true)
+    DB_PASS=$(grep '^DB_PASSWORD=' "${INSTALL_DIR}/.env" 2>/dev/null | cut -d= -f2 | tr -d '"' | head -1 || true)
+    DB_NAME=$(grep '^DB_NAME=' "${INSTALL_DIR}/.env" 2>/dev/null | cut -d= -f2 | tr -d '"' | head -1 || true)
     DB_USER="${DB_USER:-surfsense}"
     DB_PASS="${DB_PASS:-surfsense}"
     DB_NAME="${DB_NAME:-surfsense}"