diff --git a/app/lib/url.rb b/app/lib/url.rb
index dee76b00e..39ac4b654 100644
--- a/app/lib/url.rb
+++ b/app/lib/url.rb
@@ -4,8 +4,14 @@ module URL
     ApplicationConfig["APP_PROTOCOL"]
   end
 
+  def self.database_available?
+    ActiveRecord::Base.connected? && ActiveRecord::Base.connection.table_exists?("site_configs")
+  end
+
+  private_class_method :database_available?
+
   def self.domain
-    if Rails.application&.initialized? && Settings::General.respond_to?(:app_domain)
+    if database_available?
       Settings::General.app_domain
     else
       ApplicationConfig["APP_DOMAIN"]
diff --git a/spec/lib/url_spec.rb b/spec/lib/url_spec.rb
index 5dcd3630e..1fe6a8c4f 100644
--- a/spec/lib/url_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/url_spec.rb
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ require "rails_helper"
 
 RSpec.describe URL, type: :lib do
   before do
+    allow(ApplicationConfig).to receive(:[]).and_call_original
     allow(ApplicationConfig).to receive(:[]).with("APP_PROTOCOL").and_return("https://")
     allow(ApplicationConfig).to receive(:[]).with("APP_DOMAIN").and_return("test.forem.cloud")
     allow(Settings::General).to receive(:app_domain).and_return("dev.to")