diff --git a/src/paperless/settings.py b/src/paperless/settings.py
index 7fb90e3a1..54779006d 100644
--- a/src/paperless/settings.py
+++ b/src/paperless/settings.py
@@ -422,13 +422,9 @@ if AUTO_LOGIN_USERNAME:
 
 
 def _parse_remote_user_settings() -> str:
-    ENABLE_HTTP_REMOTE_USER = __get_boolean("PAPERLESS_ENABLE_HTTP_REMOTE_USER")
-    header_name = os.getenv(
-        "PAPERLESS_HTTP_REMOTE_USER_HEADER_NAME",
-        "HTTP_REMOTE_USER",
-    )
-
-    if ENABLE_HTTP_REMOTE_USER:
+    global MIDDLEWARE, AUTHENTICATION_BACKENDS, REST_FRAMEWORK
+    enable = __get_boolean("PAPERLESS_ENABLE_HTTP_REMOTE_USER")
+    if enable:
         MIDDLEWARE.append("paperless.auth.HttpRemoteUserMiddleware")
         AUTHENTICATION_BACKENDS.insert(
             0,
@@ -439,6 +435,11 @@ def _parse_remote_user_settings() -> str:
             "paperless.auth.PaperlessRemoteUserAuthentication",
         )
 
+    header_name = os.getenv(
+        "PAPERLESS_HTTP_REMOTE_USER_HEADER_NAME",
+        "HTTP_REMOTE_USER",
+    )
+
     return header_name