diff --git a/start.sh b/start.sh
index b3bae67..1fcc224 100755
--- a/start.sh
+++ b/start.sh
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ setup_auth() {
         setup_oidc_source
     fi
 
-    user_count=$(mysql -u"${CLOUDRON_MYSQL_USERNAME}" -p"${CLOUDRON_MYSQL_PASSWORD}" -h mysql --database="${CLOUDRON_MYSQL_DATABASE}" -N -B -e "SELECT count(*) FROM user")
+    user_count=$(mysql -u"${CLOUDRON_MYSQL_USERNAME}" -p"${CLOUDRON_MYSQL_PASSWORD}" -h"${CLOUDRON_MYSQL_HOST}" --database="${CLOUDRON_MYSQL_DATABASE}" -N -B -e "SELECT count(*) FROM user")
     # be careful, not to create root user for existing LDAP based installs
     if [[ "${user_count}" == "0" ]]; then
         echo "==> Setting up root user for first run"