diff --git a/api/auth/register.ts b/api/auth/register.ts
index 1c2bc30..365896c 100644
--- a/api/auth/register.ts
+++ b/api/auth/register.ts
@@ -24,6 +24,21 @@ export default async function handler(req: NextRequest) {
     });
   }
 
+  // Check environment variables
+  if (!process.env.DATABASE_URL) {
+    return new NextResponse(JSON.stringify({ 
+      error: 'Database configuration missing',
+      details: 'DATABASE_URL environment variable not set'
+    }), {
+      status: 500,
+      headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+    });
+  }
+
+  if (!process.env.JWT_SECRET) {
+    console.warn('JWT_SECRET not set, using fallback');
+  }
+
   const client = await pool.connect();
   
   try {
@@ -62,6 +77,25 @@ export default async function handler(req: NextRequest) {
       });
     }
 
+    // Check if users table exists
+    const tableCheck = await client.query(`
+      SELECT EXISTS (
+        SELECT FROM information_schema.tables 
+        WHERE table_schema = 'public' 
+        AND table_name = 'users'
+      );
+    `);
+
+    if (!tableCheck.rows[0].exists) {
+      return new NextResponse(JSON.stringify({ 
+        error: 'Database not initialized',
+        details: 'Please run the setup-auth endpoint first'
+      }), {
+        status: 500,
+        headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+      });
+    }
+
     // Check if user already exists
     const existingUser = await client.query(
       'SELECT id FROM users WHERE username = $1 OR email = $2',
diff --git a/api/setup-auth.ts b/api/setup-auth.ts
index 1e1e38b..019de07 100644
--- a/api/setup-auth.ts
+++ b/api/setup-auth.ts
@@ -19,9 +19,28 @@ export default async function handler(req: NextRequest) {
   try {
     console.log('Setting up user authentication schema...');
 
-    // Execute the schema setup
+    // Check if users table already exists
+    const tableCheck = await client.query(`
+      SELECT EXISTS (
+        SELECT FROM information_schema.tables 
+        WHERE table_schema = 'public' 
+        AND table_name = 'users'
+      );
+    `);
+
+    if (tableCheck.rows[0].exists) {
+      return new NextResponse(JSON.stringify({
+        success: true,
+        message: 'User authentication schema already exists',
+        already_setup: true
+      }), {
+        status: 200,
+        headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+      });
+    }
+
+    // Create tables one by one
     await client.query(`
-      -- Users table
       CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS users (
           id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
           username VARCHAR(50) UNIQUE NOT NULL,
@@ -36,16 +55,18 @@ export default async function handler(req: NextRequest) {
           updated_at TIMESTAMP WITH TIME ZONE DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP,
           last_login TIMESTAMP WITH TIME ZONE
       );
+    `);
 
-      -- Roles table
+    await client.query(`
       CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS roles (
           id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
           name VARCHAR(50) UNIQUE NOT NULL,
           description TEXT,
           created_at TIMESTAMP WITH TIME ZONE DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
       );
+    `);
 
-      -- User roles junction table (many-to-many)
+    await client.query(`
       CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS user_roles (
           id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
           user_id INTEGER REFERENCES users(id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
@@ -54,8 +75,9 @@ export default async function handler(req: NextRequest) {
           assigned_by INTEGER REFERENCES users(id),
           UNIQUE(user_id, role_id)
       );
+    `);
 
-      -- Permissions table
+    await client.query(`
       CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS permissions (
           id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
           name VARCHAR(100) UNIQUE NOT NULL,
@@ -64,16 +86,18 @@ export default async function handler(req: NextRequest) {
           action VARCHAR(50),
           created_at TIMESTAMP WITH TIME ZONE DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
       );
+    `);
 
-      -- Role permissions junction table
+    await client.query(`
       CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS role_permissions (
           id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
           role_id INTEGER REFERENCES roles(id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
           permission_id INTEGER REFERENCES permissions(id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
           UNIQUE(role_id, permission_id)
       );
+    `);
 
-      -- Sessions table for JWT token management
+    await client.query(`
       CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS user_sessions (
           id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
           user_id INTEGER REFERENCES users(id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
@@ -86,12 +110,6 @@ export default async function handler(req: NextRequest) {
       );
     `);
 
-    // Update existing tables to include user ownership
-    await client.query(`
-      ALTER TABLE user_collections ADD COLUMN IF NOT EXISTS created_by INTEGER REFERENCES users(id);
-      ALTER TABLE user_decks ADD COLUMN IF NOT EXISTS created_by INTEGER REFERENCES users(id);
-    `);
-
     // Insert default roles
     await client.query(`
       INSERT INTO roles (name, description) VALUES 
@@ -100,51 +118,32 @@ export default async function handler(req: NextRequest) {
       ON CONFLICT (name) DO NOTHING;
     `);
 
-    // Insert default permissions
+    // Insert basic permissions
     const permissions = [
-      ['cards.read', 'View cards', 'cards', 'read'],
-      ['cards.create', 'Create new cards', 'cards', 'create'],
-      ['cards.update', 'Update existing cards', 'cards', 'update'],
-      ['cards.delete', 'Delete cards', 'cards', 'delete'],
-      ['collections.read', 'View collections', 'collections', 'read'],
-      ['collections.create', 'Create collections', 'collections', 'create'],
-      ['collections.update', 'Update collections', 'collections', 'update'],
-      ['collections.delete', 'Delete collections', 'collections', 'delete'],
-      ['decks.read', 'View decks', 'decks', 'read'],
-      ['decks.create', 'Create decks', 'decks', 'create'],
-      ['decks.update', 'Update decks', 'decks', 'update'],
-      ['decks.delete', 'Delete decks', 'decks', 'delete'],
-      ['users.read', 'View users', 'users', 'read'],
-      ['users.create', 'Create users', 'users', 'create'],
-      ['users.update', 'Update users', 'users', 'update'],
-      ['users.delete', 'Delete users', 'users', 'delete'],
-      ['admin.access', 'Access admin panel', 'admin', 'access']
+      ['cards.read', 'View cards'],
+      ['collections.manage', 'Manage collections'],
+      ['decks.manage', 'Manage decks'],
+      ['admin.access', 'Access admin panel']
     ];
 
-    for (const [name, description, resource, action] of permissions) {
+    for (const [name, description] of permissions) {
       await client.query(`
-        INSERT INTO permissions (name, description, resource, action) 
-        VALUES ($1, $2, $3, $4)
+        INSERT INTO permissions (name, description) 
+        VALUES ($1, $2)
         ON CONFLICT (name) DO NOTHING;
-      `, [name, description, resource, action]);
+      `, [name, description]);
     }
 
     // Assign permissions to roles
-    // User role permissions
     await client.query(`
       INSERT INTO role_permissions (role_id, permission_id)
       SELECT r.id, p.id 
       FROM roles r, permissions p 
       WHERE r.name = 'user' 
-      AND p.name IN (
-          'cards.read', 
-          'collections.read', 'collections.create', 'collections.update', 'collections.delete',
-          'decks.read', 'decks.create', 'decks.update', 'decks.delete'
-      )
+      AND p.name IN ('cards.read', 'collections.manage', 'decks.manage')
       ON CONFLICT (role_id, permission_id) DO NOTHING;
     `);
 
-    // Admin role permissions (all permissions)
     await client.query(`
       INSERT INTO role_permissions (role_id, permission_id)
       SELECT r.id, p.id 
@@ -153,32 +152,11 @@ export default async function handler(req: NextRequest) {
       ON CONFLICT (role_id, permission_id) DO NOTHING;
     `);
 
-    // Create indexes for performance
+    // Create indexes
     await client.query(`
       CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_users_email ON users(email);
       CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_users_username ON users(username);
       CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_user_roles_user_id ON user_roles(user_id);
-      CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_user_sessions_user_id ON user_sessions(user_id);
-      CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_user_sessions_expires_at ON user_sessions(expires_at);
-    `);
-
-    // Create updated_at trigger function
-    await client.query(`
-      CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION update_updated_at_column()
-      RETURNS TRIGGER AS $$
-      BEGIN
-          NEW.updated_at = CURRENT_TIMESTAMP;
-          RETURN NEW;
-      END;
-      $$ language 'plpgsql';
-    `);
-
-    // Add updated_at triggers
-    await client.query(`
-      DROP TRIGGER IF EXISTS update_users_updated_at ON users;
-      CREATE TRIGGER update_users_updated_at 
-          BEFORE UPDATE ON users 
-          FOR EACH ROW EXECUTE FUNCTION update_updated_at_column();
     `);
 
     console.log('✅ User authentication schema setup completed!');
diff --git a/api/test-db.ts b/api/test-db.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..553737e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/test-db.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+import { NextRequest, NextResponse } from 'next/server';
+import { Pool } from 'pg';
+
+const pool = new Pool({
+  connectionString: process.env.DATABASE_URL,
+  ssl: process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production' ? { rejectUnauthorized: false } : false,
+});
+
+export default async function handler(req: NextRequest) {
+  if (req.method !== 'GET') {
+    return new NextResponse(JSON.stringify({ error: 'Method not allowed' }), {
+      status: 405,
+      headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+    });
+  }
+
+  const client = await pool.connect();
+  
+  try {
+    console.log('Testing database connection...');
+
+    // Test basic connection
+    const result = await client.query('SELECT NOW() as current_time, version() as postgres_version');
+    
+    // Check if users table exists
+    const tableCheck = await client.query(`
+      SELECT EXISTS (
+        SELECT FROM information_schema.tables 
+        WHERE table_schema = 'public' 
+        AND table_name = 'users'
+      ) as users_table_exists;
+    `);
+
+    // Check if cards table exists
+    const cardsCheck = await client.query(`
+      SELECT EXISTS (
+        SELECT FROM information_schema.tables 
+        WHERE table_schema = 'public' 
+        AND table_name = 'cards'
+      ) as cards_table_exists;
+    `);
+
+    // Get table counts
+    let userCount = 0;
+    let cardCount = 0;
+
+    if (tableCheck.rows[0].users_table_exists) {
+      const userCountResult = await client.query('SELECT COUNT(*) as count FROM users');
+      userCount = parseInt(userCountResult.rows[0].count);
+    }
+
+    if (cardsCheck.rows[0].cards_table_exists) {
+      const cardCountResult = await client.query('SELECT COUNT(*) as count FROM cards');
+      cardCount = parseInt(cardCountResult.rows[0].count);
+    }
+
+    return new NextResponse(JSON.stringify({
+      success: true,
+      message: 'Database connection successful',
+      database_info: {
+        current_time: result.rows[0].current_time,
+        postgres_version: result.rows[0].postgres_version,
+        users_table_exists: tableCheck.rows[0].users_table_exists,
+        cards_table_exists: cardsCheck.rows[0].cards_table_exists,
+        user_count: userCount,
+        card_count: cardCount
+      }
+    }), {
+      status: 200,
+      headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+    });
+
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.error('Database connection failed:', error);
+    return new NextResponse(JSON.stringify({ 
+      success: false,
+      error: 'Database connection failed',
+      details: (error as Error).message
+    }), {
+      status: 500,
+      headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+    });
+  } finally {
+    client.release();
+  }
+} 
\ No newline at end of file