diff --git a/index.php b/index.php
index 914ba5bde1..7f580b8367 100644
--- a/index.php
+++ b/index.php
@@ -61,6 +61,14 @@ function main()
 {
     global $user, $action;
 
+    if (!_have_config()) {
+        $msg = sprintf(_("No configuration file found. Try running ".
+                         "the installation program first."));
+        $sac = new ServerErrorAction($msg);
+        $sac->showPage();
+        return;
+    }
+
     // For database errors
 
     PEAR::setErrorHandling(PEAR_ERROR_CALLBACK, 'handleError');
diff --git a/lib/common.php b/lib/common.php
index 0fff3af2ea..ca8dedeefe 100644
--- a/lib/common.php
+++ b/lib/common.php
@@ -187,6 +187,12 @@ foreach ($_config_files as $_config_file) {
     }
 }
 
+function _have_config()
+{
+    global $_have_a_config;
+    return $_have_a_config;
+}
+
 // XXX: Throw a conniption if database not installed
 
 // Fixup for laconica.ini
diff --git a/lib/util.php b/lib/util.php
index 18e4f310ce..f9a787d473 100644
--- a/lib/util.php
+++ b/lib/util.php
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ function common_language()
 
     // If there is a user logged in and they've set a language preference
     // then return that one...
-    if (common_logged_in()) {
+    if (_have_config() && common_logged_in()) {
         $user = common_current_user();
         $user_language = $user->language;
         if ($user_language)
@@ -315,6 +315,10 @@ function common_current_user()
 {
     global $_cur;
 
+    if (!_have_config()) {
+        return null;
+    }
+
     if ($_cur === false) {
 
         if (isset($_REQUEST[session_name()]) || (isset($_SESSION['userid']) && $_SESSION['userid'])) {