diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f907dca88..ebbb5af88 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -351,6 +351,28 @@ This will run the local development web server and make the admin site
 available at http://localhost:6012; remember to make sure that the Notify.gov
 API is running as well!
 
+## Creating a 'First User' in the database
+
+After you have completed all setup steps, you will be unable to log in, because there
+will not be a user in the database to link to the login.gov account you are using.  So
+you will need to create that user in your database using the 'create-test-user' command.
+
+Open two terminals pointing to the api project and then run these commands in the
+respective terminals.  Make sure the email address is the same one you are using in
+login.gov and make sure your phone number is in the format 5555555555.
+
+(Server 1)
+env ALLOW_EXPIRED_API_TOKEN=1 make run-flask
+
+(Server 2)
+poetry run flask command create-admin-jwt | tail -n 1 | pbcopy
+poetry run flask command create-test-user --name="<Your Name>" --email="<email address>" --mobile_number="<your phone>" --password="<password>" --admin=True;
+
+If for any reason in the course of development it is necessary for your to delete your db
+via the `dropdb` command, you will need to repeat these steps when you recreate your db.
+
+
+
 ## Git Hooks
 
 We're using [`pre-commit`](https://pre-commit.com/) to manage hooks in order to