diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Migrations/Install/DatabaseBuilder.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Migrations/Install/DatabaseBuilder.cs
index 4fad123548..63767fbdc4 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Migrations/Install/DatabaseBuilder.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Migrations/Install/DatabaseBuilder.cs
@@ -89,6 +89,29 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Migrations.Install
             return DbConnectionExtensions.IsConnectionAvailable(connectionString, providerName);
         }
 
+        internal bool HasSomeNonDefaultUser()
+        {
+            using (var scope = _scopeProvider.CreateScope())
+            {
+                // look for the super user with default password
+                var sql = scope.Database.SqlContext.Sql()
+                    .SelectCount()
+                    .From<UserDto>()
+                    .Where<UserDto>(x => x.Id == Constants.Security.SuperUserId && x.Password == "default");
+                var result = scope.Database.ExecuteScalar<int>(sql);
+                var has = result != 1;
+                if (has == false)
+                {
+                    // found only 1 user == the default user with default password
+                    // however this always exists on uCloud, also need to check if there are other users too
+                    result = scope.Database.ExecuteScalar<int>("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM umbracoUser");
+                    has = result != 1;
+                }
+                scope.Complete();
+                return has;
+            }
+        }
+
         internal bool IsUmbracoInstalled()
         {
             using (var scope = _scopeProvider.CreateScope(autoComplete: true))
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/RuntimeOptions.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/RuntimeOptions.cs
index 8870bd9eb3..413c022721 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/RuntimeOptions.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/RuntimeOptions.cs
@@ -47,14 +47,12 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core
         /// </summary>
         /// <remarks>
         /// <para>By default, when a database connection string is configured and it is possible to connect to
-        /// the database, but the database is empty, the runtime enters the BootFailed level. If this options
-        /// is set to true, it enters the Install level instead.</para>
-        /// <para>It is then up to the implementor, that is setting this value, to take over the installation
-        /// sequence.</para>
+        /// the database, but the database is empty, the runtime enters the <c>Install</c> level. If this options
+        /// is set to <c>false</c>, it enters the <c>BootFailed</c> level instead.</para>
         /// </remarks>
         public static bool InstallEmptyDatabase
         {
-            get => _installEmptyDatabase ?? BoolSetting("Umbraco.Core.RuntimeState.InstallEmptyDatabase", false);
+            get => _installEmptyDatabase ?? BoolSetting("Umbraco.Core.RuntimeState.InstallEmptyDatabase", true);
             set => _installEmptyDatabase  = value;
         }
 
@@ -63,12 +61,13 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core
         /// </summary>
         /// <remarks>
         /// <para>By default, when a database connection string is configured and it is possible to connect to
-        /// the database, but the database is empty, an unattended install will be performed. If this options
-        /// is set to <c>false</c>, it enters the Install level instead.</para>
+        /// the database, but the database is empty, the runtime enters the <c>Install</c> level.
+        /// If this option is set to <c>true</c> an unattended install will be performed and the runtime enters
+        /// the <c>Run</c> level.</para>
         /// </remarks>
         public static bool InstallUnattended
         {
-            get => _installUnattended ?? BoolSetting("Umbraco.Core.RuntimeState.InstallUnattended", true);
+            get => _installUnattended ?? BoolSetting("Umbraco.Core.RuntimeState.InstallUnattended", false);
             set => _installUnattended = value;
         }
 
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Web/Install/InstallSteps/NewInstallStep.cs b/src/Umbraco.Web/Install/InstallSteps/NewInstallStep.cs
index f9ae40b52b..10f251d2e1 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Web/Install/InstallSteps/NewInstallStep.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Web/Install/InstallSteps/NewInstallStep.cs
@@ -141,14 +141,15 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.Install.InstallSteps
             // left a version number in there but cleared out their db conn string, in that case, it's really a new install.
             if (_globalSettings.ConfigurationStatus.IsNullOrWhiteSpace() == false && databaseSettings != null) return false;
 
-            if (_databaseBuilder.IsConnectionStringConfigured(databaseSettings) && _databaseBuilder.IsDatabaseConfigured)
-                return _databaseBuilder.IsUmbracoInstalled() == false;
+            // if Umbraco is already installed there's already users in the database, skip this step
+            if (_databaseBuilder.IsConnectionStringConfigured(databaseSettings) && _databaseBuilder.IsDatabaseConfigured && _databaseBuilder.IsUmbracoInstalled())
+                return _databaseBuilder.HasSomeNonDefaultUser() == false;
 
             // In this one case when it's a brand new install and nothing has been configured, make sure the
             // back office cookie is cleared so there's no old cookies lying around causing problems
             _http.ExpireCookie(Current.Configs.Settings().Security.AuthCookieName);
 
-                return true;
+            return true;
         }
     }
 }