diff --git a/modules/backend/src/main/scala/docspell/backend/signup/ExternalAccount.scala b/modules/backend/src/main/scala/docspell/backend/signup/ExternalAccount.scala
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2923a57f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/backend/src/main/scala/docspell/backend/signup/ExternalAccount.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+package docspell.backend.signup
+
+import docspell.common._
+
+final case class ExternalAccount(
+    collName: Ident,
+    login: Ident,
+    source: AccountSource
+) {
+
+  def toAccountId: AccountId =
+    AccountId(collName, login)
+}
diff --git a/modules/backend/src/main/scala/docspell/backend/signup/OSignup.scala b/modules/backend/src/main/scala/docspell/backend/signup/OSignup.scala
index 89a10866..15a9de16 100644
--- a/modules/backend/src/main/scala/docspell/backend/signup/OSignup.scala
+++ b/modules/backend/src/main/scala/docspell/backend/signup/OSignup.scala
@@ -8,13 +8,11 @@ package docspell.backend.signup
 
 import cats.effect.{Async, Resource}
 import cats.implicits._
-
 import docspell.backend.PasswordCrypt
 import docspell.common._
 import docspell.common.syntax.all._
 import docspell.store.records.{RCollective, RInvitation, RUser}
 import docspell.store.{AddResult, Store}
-
 import doobie.free.connection.ConnectionIO
 import org.log4s.getLogger
 
@@ -22,6 +20,9 @@ trait OSignup[F[_]] {
 
   def register(cfg: Config)(data: RegisterData): F[SignupResult]
 
+  /** Creates the given account if it doesn't exist. */
+  def setupExternal(cfg: Config)(data: ExternalAccount): F[SignupResult]
+
   def newInvite(cfg: Config)(password: Password): F[NewInviteResult]
 }
 
@@ -76,6 +77,31 @@ object OSignup {
             }
         }
 
+      def setupExternal(cfg: Config)(data: ExternalAccount): F[SignupResult] =
+        cfg.mode match {
+          case Config.Mode.Closed =>
+            SignupResult.signupClosed.pure[F]
+          case _ =>
+            if (data.source == AccountSource.Local)
+              SignupResult.failure(new Exception("Account source must not be LOCAL!")).pure[F]
+            else for {
+              recs <- makeRecords(data.collName, data.login, Password(""), data.source)
+              cres <- store.add(RCollective.insert(recs._1), RCollective.existsById(data.collName))
+              ures <- store.add(RUser.insert(recs._2), RUser.exists(data.login))
+              res = cres match {
+                case AddResult.Failure(ex) =>
+                  SignupResult.failure(ex)
+                case _ =>
+                  ures match {
+                    case AddResult.Failure(ex) =>
+                      SignupResult.failure(ex)
+                    case _ =>
+                      SignupResult.success
+                  }
+              }
+            } yield res
+        }
+
       private def retryInvite(res: SignupResult): Boolean =
         res match {
           case SignupResult.CollectiveExists =>
@@ -91,31 +117,6 @@ object OSignup {
         }
 
       private def addUser(data: RegisterData): F[AddResult] = {
-        def toRecords: F[(RCollective, RUser)] =
-          for {
-            id2 <- Ident.randomId[F]
-            now <- Timestamp.current[F]
-            c = RCollective(
-              data.collName,
-              CollectiveState.Active,
-              Language.German,
-              true,
-              now
-            )
-            u = RUser(
-              id2,
-              data.login,
-              data.collName,
-              PasswordCrypt.crypt(data.password),
-              UserState.Active,
-              AccountSource.Local,
-              None,
-              0,
-              None,
-              now
-            )
-          } yield (c, u)
-
         def insert(coll: RCollective, user: RUser): ConnectionIO[Int] =
           for {
             n1 <- RCollective.insert(coll)
@@ -127,9 +128,29 @@ object OSignup {
 
         val msg = s"The collective '${data.collName}' already exists."
         for {
-          cu   <- toRecords
+          cu <- makeRecords(data.collName, data.login, data.password, AccountSource.Local)
           save <- store.add(insert(cu._1, cu._2), collectiveExists)
         } yield save.fold(identity, _.withMsg(msg), identity)
       }
+
+      private def makeRecords(
+          collName: Ident,
+          login: Ident,
+          password: Password,
+          source: AccountSource
+      ): F[(RCollective, RUser)] =
+        for {
+          id2 <- Ident.randomId[F]
+          now <- Timestamp.current[F]
+          c = RCollective.makeDefault(collName, now)
+          u = RUser.makeDefault(
+            id2,
+            login,
+            collName,
+            PasswordCrypt.crypt(password),
+            source,
+            now
+          )
+        } yield (c, u)
     })
 }
diff --git a/modules/store/src/main/scala/docspell/store/records/RCollective.scala b/modules/store/src/main/scala/docspell/store/records/RCollective.scala
index 43b7e382..5d3fc97c 100644
--- a/modules/store/src/main/scala/docspell/store/records/RCollective.scala
+++ b/modules/store/src/main/scala/docspell/store/records/RCollective.scala
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ object RCollective {
     val all = NonEmptyList.of[Column[_]](id, state, language, integration, created)
   }
 
+  def makeDefault(collName: Ident, created: Timestamp): RCollective =
+    RCollective(collName, CollectiveState.Active, Language.German, true, created)
+
   val T = Table(None)
   def as(alias: String): Table =
     Table(Some(alias))
diff --git a/modules/store/src/main/scala/docspell/store/records/RUser.scala b/modules/store/src/main/scala/docspell/store/records/RUser.scala
index 586d29b4..57b23ad8 100644
--- a/modules/store/src/main/scala/docspell/store/records/RUser.scala
+++ b/modules/store/src/main/scala/docspell/store/records/RUser.scala
@@ -29,6 +29,28 @@ case class RUser(
 ) {}
 
 object RUser {
+
+  def makeDefault(
+      id: Ident,
+      login: Ident,
+      collName: Ident,
+      password: Password,
+      source: AccountSource,
+      created: Timestamp
+  ): RUser =
+    RUser(
+      id,
+      login,
+      collName,
+      password,
+      UserState.Active,
+      source,
+      None,
+      0,
+      None,
+      created
+    )
+
   final case class Table(alias: Option[String]) extends TableDef {
     val tableName = "user_"