diff --git a/Iceshrimp.Backend/Core/Services/ObjectStorageService.cs b/Iceshrimp.Backend/Core/Services/ObjectStorageService.cs
index 8b2f287d..eb9bfac9 100644
--- a/Iceshrimp.Backend/Core/Services/ObjectStorageService.cs
+++ b/Iceshrimp.Backend/Core/Services/ObjectStorageService.cs
@@ -12,10 +12,21 @@ namespace Iceshrimp.Backend.Core.Services;
 public class ObjectStorageService(IOptions<Config.StorageSection> config, HttpClient httpClient) {
 	private readonly string? _accessUrl = config.Value.ObjectStorage?.AccessUrl;
 
-	private readonly S3Bucket _bucket = GetBucket(config);
+	private readonly S3Bucket? _bucket = GetBucketSafely(config);
 
 	private readonly string? _prefix = config.Value.ObjectStorage?.Prefix?.Trim('/');
 
+	private static S3Bucket? GetBucketSafely(IOptions<Config.StorageSection> config) {
+		if (config.Value.Mode != Enums.FileStorage.Local) return GetBucket(config);
+
+		try {
+			return GetBucket(config);
+		}
+		catch {
+			return null;
+		}
+	}
+
 	private static S3Bucket GetBucket(IOptions<Config.StorageSection> config) {
 		var s3Config = config.Value.ObjectStorage ?? throw new Exception("Invalid object storage configuration");
 
@@ -24,7 +35,7 @@ public class ObjectStorageService(IOptions<Config.StorageSection> config, HttpCl
 		var accessKey = s3Config.KeyId ?? throw new Exception("Invalid object storage access key");
 		var secretKey = s3Config.SecretKey ?? throw new Exception("Invalid object storage secret key");
 		var bucket    = s3Config.Bucket ?? throw new Exception("Invalid object storage bucket");
-		
+
 		if (config.Value.ObjectStorage?.AccessUrl == null)
 			throw new Exception("Invalid object storage access url");
 
@@ -52,14 +63,17 @@ public class ObjectStorageService(IOptions<Config.StorageSection> config, HttpCl
 	}
 
 	public async Task UploadFileAsync(string filename, byte[] data) {
+		if (_bucket == null) throw new Exception("Refusing to upload to object storage with invalid configuration");
 		await _bucket.PutAsync(new Blob(GetFilenameWithPrefix(filename), data));
 	}
 
 	public async Task UploadFileAsync(string filename, Stream data) {
+		if (_bucket == null) throw new Exception("Refusing to upload to object storage with invalid configuration");
 		await _bucket.PutAsync(new Blob(GetFilenameWithPrefix(filename), data));
 	}
 
 	public async Task<string> UploadFileAsync(byte[] data) {
+		if (_bucket == null) throw new Exception("Refusing to upload to object storage with invalid configuration");
 		var filename = Guid.NewGuid().ToString().ToLowerInvariant();
 		await _bucket.PutAsync(new Blob(GetFilenameWithPrefix(filename), data));
 		return filename;
@@ -71,6 +85,8 @@ public class ObjectStorageService(IOptions<Config.StorageSection> config, HttpCl
 	}
 
 	public async ValueTask<Stream?> GetFileAsync(string filename) {
+		if (_bucket == null) throw new Exception("Refusing to get file from object storage with invalid configuration");
+
 		try {
 			var res = await _bucket.GetAsync(GetFilenameWithPrefix(filename));
 			return await res.OpenAsync();
@@ -81,6 +97,8 @@ public class ObjectStorageService(IOptions<Config.StorageSection> config, HttpCl
 	}
 
 	public async Task RemoveFilesAsync(params string[] filenames) {
+		if (_bucket == null)
+			throw new Exception("Refusing to remove file from object storage with invalid configuration");
 		await _bucket.DeleteAsync(filenames.Select(GetFilenameWithPrefix).ToImmutableList());
 	}