diff --git a/packages/strapi-generate-new/lib/resources/files/config/.init.json b/packages/strapi-generate-new/lib/resources/files/config/.init.json
deleted file mode 100644
index 9697e15cde..0000000000
--- a/packages/strapi-generate-new/lib/resources/files/config/.init.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "init": true
-}
diff --git a/packages/strapi/lib/Strapi.js b/packages/strapi/lib/Strapi.js
index fefd643a7f..f447d269c6 100644
--- a/packages/strapi/lib/Strapi.js
+++ b/packages/strapi/lib/Strapi.js
@@ -199,8 +199,8 @@ class Strapi extends EventEmitter {
       await this.runBootstrapFunctions();
       // Freeze object.
       await this.freeze();
-      // Init first start
-      utils.init(this.config);
+      // Is the project initialised?
+      const isInitialised = await utils.isInitialised(this);
 
       this.app.use(this.router.routes()).use(this.router.allowedMethods());
 
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ class Strapi extends EventEmitter {
       this.server.listen(this.config.port, async err => {
         if (err) return this.stopWithError(err);
 
-        if (this.config.init) {
+        if (!isInitialised) {
           this.logFirstStartupMessage();
         } else {
           this.logStartupMessage();
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ class Strapi extends EventEmitter {
               'server.admin.autoOpen',
               true
             ) !== false) ||
-          this.config.init
+          !isInitialised
         ) {
           await utils.openBrowser.call(this);
         }
diff --git a/packages/strapi/lib/utils/index.js b/packages/strapi/lib/utils/index.js
index e5f029c254..c7221e7817 100644
--- a/packages/strapi/lib/utils/index.js
+++ b/packages/strapi/lib/utils/index.js
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ const {
   get,
   difference,
   intersection,
+  isEmpty,
   isObject,
   isFunction,
 } = require('lodash');
@@ -23,9 +24,22 @@ const exposer = require('./exposer');
 const openBrowser = require('./openBrowser');
 
 module.exports = {
-  init(config) {
-    if (config.init) {
-      fs.unlinkSync(path.resolve(config.appPath, 'config', '.init.json'));
+  /*
+   * Return false where there is no administrator, otherwise return true.
+   */
+  async isInitialised(strapi) {
+    try {
+      if (isEmpty(strapi.admin)) {
+        return true;
+      }
+
+      const numberOfAdministrators = await strapi
+        .query('administrator', 'admin')
+        .find({ _limit: 1 });
+
+      return numberOfAdministrators.length > 0;
+    } catch (err) {
+      strapi.stopWithError(err);
     }
   },