diff --git a/src/app/api/settings/require-login/route.ts b/src/app/api/settings/require-login/route.ts
index 93415c72d2..547ac96859 100644
--- a/src/app/api/settings/require-login/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/settings/require-login/route.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ export async function GET() {
     const setupComplete = !!settings.setupComplete;
     return NextResponse.json({ requireLogin, hasPassword, setupComplete });
   } catch (error) {
+    console.error("[API] Error fetching require-login settings:", error);
     return NextResponse.json(
       { requireLogin: true, hasPassword: true, setupComplete: true },
       { status: 200 }
diff --git a/tests/unit/login-bootstrap-route.test.mjs b/tests/unit/login-bootstrap-route.test.mjs
index f4fbdd55f5..fc56cbd2ab 100644
--- a/tests/unit/login-bootstrap-route.test.mjs
+++ b/tests/unit/login-bootstrap-route.test.mjs
@@ -17,14 +17,18 @@ async function resetStorage() {
   fs.mkdirSync(TEST_DATA_DIR, { recursive: true });
 }
 
+test.beforeEach(async () => {
+  delete process.env.INITIAL_PASSWORD;
+  await resetStorage();
+});
+
 test.after(() => {
+  delete process.env.INITIAL_PASSWORD;
   core.resetDbInstance();
   fs.rmSync(TEST_DATA_DIR, { recursive: true, force: true });
 });
 
 test("public login bootstrap route exposes the metadata the login page consumes", async () => {
-  await resetStorage();
-
   await settingsDb.updateSettings({
     requireLogin: true,
     setupComplete: true,
@@ -40,3 +44,40 @@ test("public login bootstrap route exposes the metadata the login page consumes"
     setupComplete: true,
   });
 });
+
+test("public login bootstrap route reports env-provided bootstrap password metadata", async () => {
+  process.env.INITIAL_PASSWORD = "bootstrap-secret";
+
+  await settingsDb.updateSettings({
+    requireLogin: true,
+    setupComplete: true,
+  });
+
+  const response = await route.GET();
+  const body = await response.json();
+
+  assert.equal(response.status, 200);
+  assert.deepEqual(body, {
+    requireLogin: true,
+    hasPassword: true,
+    setupComplete: true,
+  });
+});
+
+test("public login bootstrap route reports stored password metadata and disabled auth state", async () => {
+  await settingsDb.updateSettings({
+    requireLogin: false,
+    password: "hashed-password",
+    setupComplete: true,
+  });
+
+  const response = await route.GET();
+  const body = await response.json();
+
+  assert.equal(response.status, 200);
+  assert.deepEqual(body, {
+    requireLogin: false,
+    hasPassword: true,
+    setupComplete: true,
+  });
+});