diff --git a/scripts/setup/create-db.sql b/scripts/setup/create-db.sql
index 0a714db218..0918864b70 100644
--- a/scripts/setup/create-db.sql
+++ b/scripts/setup/create-db.sql
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
-CREATE USER zulip;
+DO $$BEGIN
+    CREATE USER zulip;
+EXCEPTION WHEN duplicate_object THEN
+    RAISE NOTICE 'zulip user already exists';
+END$$;
 ALTER ROLE zulip SET search_path TO zulip,public;
 CREATE DATABASE zulip OWNER=zulip;
 \connect zulip