diff --git a/trifid-api/src/email.rs b/trifid-api/src/email.rs
index ee9dd80..47200d8 100644
--- a/trifid-api/src/email.rs
+++ b/trifid-api/src/email.rs
@@ -3,11 +3,14 @@ use log::info;
 use sqlx::PgPool;
 use uuid::Uuid;
 use crate::config::TFConfig;
+use std::time::SystemTime;
+use std::time::UNIX_EPOCH;
+
 // https://admin.defined.net/auth/magic-link?email=coredoescode%40gmail.com&token=ml-ckBsgw_5IdK5VYgseBYcoV_v_cQjtdq1re_RhDu_MKg
 pub async fn send_magic_link(id: i64, email: String, db: &PgPool, config: &TFConfig) -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
     let otp = Uuid::new_v4().to_string();
-    let otp_url = format!("{}/{}", config.base, urlencoding::encode(&format!("/auth/magic-link?email={}&token={}", email.clone(), otp.clone())));
-    sqlx::query!("INSERT INTO magic_links (id, user_id, expires_on) VALUES ($1, $2, $3) ON CONFLICT DO NOTHING;", otp, id, SystemTime::now().duration_since(UNIX_EPOCH).unwrap().as_secs() as i64 + config.config.magic_links_valid_for).await?;
+    let otp_url = config.base.join(&format!("/auth/magic-link?email={}&token={}", urlencoding::encode(&email.clone()), otp.clone())).unwrap();
+    sqlx::query!("INSERT INTO magic_links (id, user_id, expires_on) VALUES ($1, $2, $3) ON CONFLICT DO NOTHING;", otp, id as i32, SystemTime::now().duration_since(UNIX_EPOCH).unwrap().as_secs() as i32 + config.magic_links_valid_for as i32).execute(db).await?;
     // TODO: send email
     info!("sent magic link {} to {}, valid for {} seconds", otp_url, email.clone(), config.magic_links_valid_for);
     Ok(())
diff --git a/trifid-api/src/routes/v1/signup.rs b/trifid-api/src/routes/v1/signup.rs
index b2c6574..5e46817 100644
--- a/trifid-api/src/routes/v1/signup.rs
+++ b/trifid-api/src/routes/v1/signup.rs
@@ -31,15 +31,27 @@ created_on TIMESTAMP NOT NULL,
  */
 #[post("/v1/signup", data = "<req>")]
 pub async fn signup_request(req: Json<SignupRequest>, pool: &State<PgPool>, config: &State<TFConfig>) -> Result<(ContentType, Json<SignupResponse>), (Status, String)> {
-    match sqlx::query!("INSERT INTO users (email, created_on, banned, ban_reason, totp_secret, totp_otpurl, totp_verified) VALUES ($1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $6, $7) RETURNING id ON CONFLICT DO NOTHING;", req.email, SystemTime::now().duration_since(UNIX_EPOCH).unwrap().as_secs() as i64, 0, "", "", "", 0).execute(pool.inner()).await {
-        Ok(_) => (),
+    // figure out if the user already exists
+    let mut id = -1;
+    match sqlx::query!("SELECT id FROM users WHERE email = $1", req.email.clone()).fetch_optional(pool.inner()).await {
+        Ok(res) => if let Some(r) = res { id = r.id as i64 },
         Err(e) => {
             return Err((Status::InternalServerError, format!("{{\"errors\":[{{\"code\":\"{}\",\"message\":\"{} - {}\"}}]}}", "ERR_QL_QUERY_FAILED", "an error occurred while running the graphql query", e)))
         }
-    };
+    }
+
+    if id == -1 {
+        let id_res = match sqlx::query!("INSERT INTO users (email, created_on, banned, ban_reason, totp_secret, totp_otpurl, totp_verified) VALUES ($1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $6, $7) ON CONFLICT DO NOTHING RETURNING id;", req.email, SystemTime::now().duration_since(UNIX_EPOCH).unwrap().as_secs() as i64, 0, "", "", "", 0).fetch_one(pool.inner()).await {
+            Ok(row) => row.id,
+            Err(e) => {
+                return Err((Status::InternalServerError, format!("{{\"errors\":[{{\"code\":\"{}\",\"message\":\"{} - {}\"}}]}}", "ERR_QL_QUERY_FAILED", "an error occurred while running the graphql query", e)))
+            }
+        };
+        id = id_res as i64;
+    }
 
     // send magic link to email
-    match send_magic_link(req.email.clone(), pool.inner(), config.inner()).await {
+    match send_magic_link(id, req.email.clone(), pool.inner(), config.inner()).await {
         Ok(_) => (),
         Err(e) => {
             return Err((Status::InternalServerError, format!("{{\"errors\":[{{\"code\":\"{}\",\"message\":\"{} - {}\"}}]}}", "ERR_QL_QUERY_FAILED", "an error occurred while running the graphql query", e)))