diff --git a/backend/config/settings.py b/backend/config/settings.py
index bf0c35f5..9dd3d972 100644
--- a/backend/config/settings.py
+++ b/backend/config/settings.py
@@ -228,7 +228,11 @@ CORS_EXPOSE_HEADERS = ["X-Start-Timestamp"]
 # TA application settings
 TA_UPSTREAM = "https://github.com/tubearchivist/tubearchivist"
 TA_VERSION = "v0.5.8-unstable"
-TA_START = RedisArchivist().get_message_str("STARTTIMESTAMP")
+try:
+    TA_START = RedisArchivist().get_message_str("STARTTIMESTAMP")
+except ValueError:
+    # fails in unittests bootstrap
+    pass
 
 # API
 REST_FRAMEWORK = {