diff --git a/src/tests_authentik/setup_authentik.py b/src/tests_authentik/setup_authentik.py
index dfa91d2..51706a3 100644
--- a/src/tests_authentik/setup_authentik.py
+++ b/src/tests_authentik/setup_authentik.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import json
 import os
 import re
 
+from icecream import ic
 from playwright.sync_api import BrowserContext, expect
 
 from src.dirmanager import DirManager
@@ -35,24 +36,28 @@ def test_create_admin_login(context: BrowserContext, dotenv_config: dict[str, st
     context.storage_state(path=f"{DIR.STATES}/admin_state.json")
 
 
+def check_if_user_exists(admin_context: BrowserContext, dotenv_config: dict[str, str]):
+    # go to admin page
+    page = admin_context.new_page()
+    url = "https://" + dotenv_config["DOMAIN"]
+    page.goto(url)
+    page.get_by_role("link", name="Admin Interface").click()
+    nav = page.locator("ak-sidebar-item", has_text=re.compile(r"Directory|Verzeichnis"))
+    nav.click()
+    nav.get_by_role("link", name=re.compile(r"Users|Benutzer")).click()
+    result = page.get_by_text(TESTUSER["username"]).is_visible(timeout=TIMEOUT)
+    return result
+
+
 def create_invite_link(admin_context: BrowserContext, dotenv_config: dict[str, str]):
+    # go to admin page
     page = admin_context.new_page()
     url = "https://" + dotenv_config["DOMAIN"]
     page.goto(url)
     page.get_by_role("link", name="Admin Interface").click()
 
-    # regex approach (shorter):
-    page.get_by_role("button", name=re.compile(r"Directory|Verzeichnis")).click()
-    # the or approach:
-    # button_dir_en = page.get_by_role("button", name="Directory")
-    # page.get_by_role("button").get_by_text(re.compile("Verzeichnis|Directory")).click()
-    # button_dir_de = page.get_by_text("Verzeichnis")
-    # button_dir_en.or_(button_dir_de).click()
-
-    nav = page.locator("ak-sidebar-item", has_text=re.compile(r"Directory|Verzeichnis"))
-    nav.get_by_role("link", name=re.compile(r"Users|Benutzer")).click()
-
     nav = page.locator("ak-sidebar-item", has_text=re.compile(r"Directory|Verzeichnis"))
+    nav.click()
     nav.get_by_role("link", name=re.compile(r"Invitations|Einladungen")).click()
 
     # todo: only works if no links have been created yet (empty list)
@@ -102,10 +107,16 @@ def test_create_user_session(context: BrowserContext, dotenv_config: dict[str, s
     storage_state = json.loads(state_file.read_bytes())
     context.add_cookies(storage_state["cookies"])
 
-    # create invite_link
-    invite_link = create_invite_link(context, dotenv_config)
+    if check_if_user_exists(context, dotenv_config):
+        # just login with user
+        pass
+        context.clear_cookies()
+    else:
+        ## create user
+        # create invite_link
+        invite_link = create_invite_link(context, dotenv_config)
+        # create user
+        context.clear_cookies()
+        create_user(context, invite_link)
 
-    # create user
-    context.clear_cookies()
-    create_user(context, invite_link)
     context.storage_state(path=f"{DIR.STATES}/user_state.json")