diff --git a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/activities/MainActivity.kt b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/activities/MainActivity.kt
index dbf92ed6..9b64b946 100644
--- a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/activities/MainActivity.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/activities/MainActivity.kt
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import com.simplemobiletools.contacts.dialogs.ExportContactsDialog
 import com.simplemobiletools.contacts.dialogs.FilterContactSourcesDialog
 import com.simplemobiletools.contacts.dialogs.ImportContactsDialog
 import com.simplemobiletools.contacts.extensions.config
+import com.simplemobiletools.contacts.extensions.dbHelper
 import com.simplemobiletools.contacts.extensions.getTempFile
 import com.simplemobiletools.contacts.helpers.ContactsHelper
 import com.simplemobiletools.contacts.helpers.VcfExporter
@@ -53,6 +54,9 @@ class MainActivity : SimpleActivity(), RefreshContactsListener {
         appLaunched()
         setupTabColors()
 
+        // just get a reference to the database to make sure it is created properly
+        dbHelper
+
         handlePermission(PERMISSION_READ_CONTACTS) {
             if (it) {
                 handlePermission(PERMISSION_WRITE_CONTACTS) {