diff --git a/web3_proxy/src/errors.rs b/web3_proxy/src/errors.rs
index d262b3ec..ac5d75f6 100644
--- a/web3_proxy/src/errors.rs
+++ b/web3_proxy/src/errors.rs
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ use reqwest::header::ToStrError;
 use rust_decimal::Error as DecimalError;
 use serde::Serialize;
 use serde_json::value::RawValue;
-use std::error::Error;
 use std::sync::Arc;
 use std::{borrow::Cow, net::IpAddr};
 use tokio::{sync::AcquireError, task::JoinError, time::Instant};
diff --git a/web3_proxy/src/frontend/authorization.rs b/web3_proxy/src/frontend/authorization.rs
index d201d248..99c70625 100644
--- a/web3_proxy/src/frontend/authorization.rs
+++ b/web3_proxy/src/frontend/authorization.rs
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ use http::HeaderValue;
 use ipnet::IpNet;
 use log::{error, trace, warn};
 use migration::sea_orm::prelude::Decimal;
-use migration::sea_orm::{ColumnTrait, DatabaseConnection, EntityTrait, QueryFilter};
+use migration::sea_orm::{self, ColumnTrait, DatabaseConnection, EntityTrait, QueryFilter};
+use migration::OnConflict;
 use parking_lot::RwLock;
 use rdkafka::message::{Header as KafkaHeader, OwnedHeaders as KafkaOwnedHeaders, OwnedMessage};
 use rdkafka::producer::{FutureProducer, FutureRecord};
@@ -72,7 +73,9 @@ pub enum AuthorizationType {
 
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Default)]
 pub struct Balance {
+    /// The total USD value deposited.
     pub total_deposit: Decimal,
+    /// The amount spent outside the free tier.
     pub total_spend: Decimal,
 }
 
@@ -1187,21 +1190,41 @@ impl Web3ProxyApp {
                 .try_get_with(x, async move {
                     let db_replica = self
                         .db_replica()
-                        .web3_context("Getting database connection")?;
+                        .web3_context("Getting database replica connection")?;
 
-                    let balance = match balance::Entity::find()
-                        .filter(balance::Column::UserId.eq(user_id))
-                        .one(db_replica.as_ref())
-                        .await?
-                    {
-                        Some(x) => Balance {
-                            total_deposit: x.total_deposits,
-                            total_spend: x.total_spent_outside_free_tier,
-                        },
-                        None => Default::default(),
-                    };
+                    loop {
+                        match balance::Entity::find()
+                            .filter(balance::Column::UserId.eq(user_id))
+                            .one(db_replica.as_ref())
+                            .await?
+                        {
+                            Some(x) => {
+                                let x = Balance {
+                                    total_deposit: x.total_deposits,
+                                    total_spend: x.total_spent_outside_free_tier,
+                                };
 
-                    Ok(Arc::new(RwLock::new(balance)))
+                                return Ok(Arc::new(RwLock::new(x)));
+                            }
+                            None => {
+                                // no balance row. make one now
+                                let db_conn =
+                                    self.db_conn().web3_context("Getting database connection")?;
+
+                                let balance_entry = balance::ActiveModel {
+                                    user_id: sea_orm::Set(user_id),
+                                    ..Default::default()
+                                };
+
+                                balance::Entity::insert(balance_entry)
+                                    .on_conflict(OnConflict::new().to_owned())
+                                    .exec(&db_conn)
+                                    .await?;
+
+                                continue;
+                            }
+                        };
+                    }
                 })
                 .await
                 .map_err(Into::into),