diff --git a/api/src/middlewares/find-and-authorize-current-user-middleware.ts b/api/src/middlewares/authorization-middleware.ts
similarity index 92%
rename from api/src/middlewares/find-and-authorize-current-user-middleware.ts
rename to api/src/middlewares/authorization-middleware.ts
index 226bd2a..eb6ccdd 100644
--- a/api/src/middlewares/find-and-authorize-current-user-middleware.ts
+++ b/api/src/middlewares/authorization-middleware.ts
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ export type AuthorizationRequest = JwtRequest & {
  *
  * NOTE: must be kept in sync with api/tests/support/mock-current-user.ts
  */
-export async function findAndAuthorizeCurrentUserMiddleware(
+export async function authorizationMiddleware(
   req: AuthorizationRequest,
   res: Response,
   next: NextFunction
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ export async function findAndAuthorizeCurrentUserMiddleware(
 
   try {
     const token = req.headers.authorization || ""
-    const user = await Users.FindFromAuth0TokenService.perform(token)
+    const user = await Users.EnsureFromAuth0TokenService.perform(token)
     req.currentUser = user
     return next()
   } catch (error) {
diff --git a/api/src/middlewares/index.ts b/api/src/middlewares/index.ts
index 8bb4d17..336dc5c 100644
--- a/api/src/middlewares/index.ts
+++ b/api/src/middlewares/index.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
-export { findAndAuthorizeCurrentUserMiddleware } from "./find-and-authorize-current-user-middleware"
+export { authorizationMiddleware } from "./authorization-middleware"
 export { jwtMiddleware } from "./jwt-middleware"
 export { requestLoggerMiddleware } from "./request-logger-middleware"
diff --git a/api/src/router.ts b/api/src/router.ts
index 8faac5d..f00ec6d 100644
--- a/api/src/router.ts
+++ b/api/src/router.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import { template } from "lodash"
 import { APPLICATION_NAME, GIT_COMMIT_HASH, NODE_ENV, RELEASE_TAG } from "@/config"
 import { logger } from "@/utils/logger"
 
-import { jwtMiddleware, findAndAuthorizeCurrentUserMiddleware } from "@/middlewares"
+import { jwtMiddleware, authorizationMiddleware } from "@/middlewares"
 
 import { CurrentUserController, UsersController } from "@/controllers"
 
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ router.route("/_status").get((_req: Request, res: Response) => {
 // external (public) routes - no authentication required
 
 // api routes
-router.use("/api", jwtMiddleware, findAndAuthorizeCurrentUserMiddleware)
+router.use("/api", jwtMiddleware, authorizationMiddleware)
 
 router.route("/api/current-user").get(CurrentUserController.show)
 
diff --git a/api/src/services/users/find-from-auth0-token-service.ts b/api/src/services/users/ensure-from-auth0-token-service.ts
similarity index 57%
rename from api/src/services/users/find-from-auth0-token-service.ts
rename to api/src/services/users/ensure-from-auth0-token-service.ts
index b37f6b2..773c05b 100644
--- a/api/src/services/users/find-from-auth0-token-service.ts
+++ b/api/src/services/users/ensure-from-auth0-token-service.ts
@@ -2,14 +2,17 @@ import { auth0Integration } from "@/integrations"
 import { User } from "@/models"
 import { Op } from "@sequelize/core"
 import BaseService from "@/services/base-service"
+import { Users } from "@/services"
 
-export class FindFromAuth0TokenService extends BaseService {
+export class EnsureFromAuth0TokenService extends BaseService {
   constructor(private token: string) {
     super()
   }
 
   async perform(): Promise<User> {
-    const { auth0Subject, email } = await auth0Integration.getUserInfo(this.token)
+    const { auth0Subject, email, firstName, lastName } = await auth0Integration.getUserInfo(
+      this.token
+    )
 
     const existingUser = await User.withScope(["asCurrentUser"]).findOne({
       where: { auth0Subject },
@@ -28,8 +31,20 @@ export class FindFromAuth0TokenService extends BaseService {
       return firstTimeUser
     }
 
-    throw new Error("No user found for this token.")
+    await Users.CreateService.perform({
+      auth0Subject,
+      email,
+      firstName,
+      lastName,
+    })
+
+    const newUser = await User.withScope(["asCurrentUser"]).findOne({
+      where: { auth0Subject },
+      rejectOnEmpty: true,
+    })
+
+    return newUser
   }
 }
 
-export default FindFromAuth0TokenService
+export default EnsureFromAuth0TokenService
diff --git a/api/src/services/users/index.ts b/api/src/services/users/index.ts
index ea10908..edeffe5 100644
--- a/api/src/services/users/index.ts
+++ b/api/src/services/users/index.ts
@@ -3,4 +3,4 @@ export { UpdateService } from "./update-service"
 export { DestroyService } from "./destroy-service"
 
 // Special Services
-export { FindFromAuth0TokenService } from "./find-from-auth0-token-service"
+export { EnsureFromAuth0TokenService } from "./ensure-from-auth0-token-service"
diff --git a/api/tests/support/mock-current-user.ts b/api/tests/support/mock-current-user.ts
index 352f2b2..4c502d6 100644
--- a/api/tests/support/mock-current-user.ts
+++ b/api/tests/support/mock-current-user.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 import { Request, Response, NextFunction } from "express"
 
 import {
-  findAndAuthorizeCurrentUserMiddleware,
+  authorizationMiddleware,
   type AuthorizationRequest,
-} from "@/middlewares/find-and-authorize-current-user-middleware"
+} from "@/middlewares/authorization-middleware"
 
 import { User } from "@/models"
 
@@ -23,9 +23,9 @@ export function mockCurrentUser(newCurrentUser: User) {
     jwtMiddleware: async (_req: Request, _res: Response, next: NextFunction) => next(),
   }))
 
-  vi.mock("@/middlewares/find-and-authorize-current-user-middleware")
-  const findAndAuthorizeCurrentUserMiddlewareMock = vi.mocked(findAndAuthorizeCurrentUserMiddleware)
-  findAndAuthorizeCurrentUserMiddlewareMock.mockImplementation(
+  vi.mock("@/middlewares/authorization-middleware")
+  const authorizationMiddlewareMock = vi.mocked(authorizationMiddleware)
+  authorizationMiddlewareMock.mockImplementation(
     async (req: AuthorizationRequest, _res: Response, next: NextFunction) => {
       const currentUser = await User.withScope(["asCurrentUser"]).findByPk(newCurrentUser.id, {
         rejectOnEmpty: true,