diff --git a/config/initializers/session_store.rb b/config/initializers/session_store.rb
index 6d274cd95a1ec48b11f9c488b58a5f5cb85d7645..88651394d1d2dcac4ab771219f1e2aad6f1ed900 100644
--- a/config/initializers/session_store.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/session_store.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,12 @@
 
 require 'gitlab/current_settings'
 include Gitlab::CurrentSettings
-Settings.gitlab['session_expire_delay'] = current_application_settings.session_expire_delay
+
+# allow it to fail: it may to do so when create_from_defaults is executed before migrations are actually done
+begin
+  Settings.gitlab['session_expire_delay'] = current_application_settings.session_expire_delay
+rescue
+end
 
 Gitlab::Application.config.session_store(
   :redis_store, # Using the cookie_store would enable session replay attacks.