diff --git a/todo/settings.py b/todo/settings.py
index 3cbaf53..618c64b 100644
--- a/todo/settings.py
+++ b/todo/settings.py
@@ -2,13 +2,16 @@ from django.conf import settings
 from django.contrib.auth.models import User
 from todo.models import List
 
+
+class MissingSuperuserException(Exception):
+    pass
+
+try:
+    first_superuser = User.objects.filter(is_superuser=True)[0]
+except:
+    raise MissingSuperuserException('django-todo requires at least one superuser in the database')
+
 STAFF_ONLY = getattr(settings, 'TODO_STAFF_ONLY', False)
-
-first_superuser = User.objects.filter(is_superuser=True)[0]
 DEFAULT_ASSIGNEE = getattr(settings, 'TODO_DEFAULT_ASSIGNEE', first_superuser.username)
-
-first_list = List.objects.first()
-DEFAULT_LIST_ID = getattr(settings, 'TODO_DEFAULT_LIST_ID', first_list.id)
-
+DEFAULT_LIST_ID = getattr(settings, 'TODO_DEFAULT_LIST_ID', 1)
 PUBLIC_SUBMIT_REDIRECT = getattr(settings, 'TODO_PUBLIC_SUBMIT_REDIRECT', '/')
-