diff --git a/compendium_v2/__init__.py b/compendium_v2/__init__.py
index 7fa8548147f3ba486bf9d6ddd7a5849dd2db33fd..f30107f00e00ff8879cdbc9431e9de4c6db20233 100644
--- a/compendium_v2/__init__.py
+++ b/compendium_v2/__init__.py
@@ -37,15 +37,6 @@ def _create_app(app_config) -> Flask:
     app = Flask(__name__)
     CORS(app)
 
-    app.config['CONFIG_PARAMS'] = app_config
-    app.config['SECRET_KEY'] = app_config['SECRET_KEY']
-    app.config['SESSION_COOKIE_SECURE'] = True
-    if 'oidc' not in app_config:
-        app.config['LOGIN_DISABLED'] = True
-        logger.info('No OIDC configuration found, authentication disabled')
-    else:
-        logger.info('OIDC configuration found, authentication will be enabled')
-
     from compendium_v2.routes import default
     app.register_blueprint(default.routes, url_prefix='/')
 
@@ -55,6 +46,19 @@ def _create_app(app_config) -> Flask:
     from compendium_v2.routes import api
     app.register_blueprint(api.routes, url_prefix='/api')
 
+    if not app_config:
+        # workaround for sphinx causing app to be created, but not loading a config
+        return app
+
+    app.config['CONFIG_PARAMS'] = app_config
+    app.config['SECRET_KEY'] = app_config['SECRET_KEY']
+    app.config['SESSION_COOKIE_SECURE'] = True
+    if 'oidc' not in app_config:
+        app.config['LOGIN_DISABLED'] = True
+        logger.info('No OIDC configuration found, authentication disabled')
+    else:
+        logger.info('OIDC configuration found, authentication will be enabled')
+
     return app