diff --git a/classes/config.php b/classes/config.php
index effbb78ad..95bf3bf71 100644
--- a/classes/config.php
+++ b/classes/config.php
@@ -124,12 +124,12 @@ class Config {
 
 				list ($defval, $deftype) = $this::_DEFAULTS[$const];
 
-				$this->params[$cvalue] = [ $this->cast_to(!empty($override) ? $override : $defval, $deftype), $deftype ];
+				$this->params[$cvalue] = [ self::cast_to(!empty($override) ? $override : $defval, $deftype), $deftype ];
 			}
 		}
 	}
 
-	private function cast_to(string $value, int $type_hint) {
+	static function cast_to(string $value, int $type_hint) {
 		switch ($type_hint) {
 			case self::T_BOOL:
 				return sql_bool_to_bool($value);
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ class Config {
 	private function _add(string $param, string $default, int $type_hint) {
 		$override = getenv($this::_ENVVAR_PREFIX . $param);
 
-		$this->params[$param] = [ $this->cast_to(!empty($override) ? $override : $default, $type_hint), $type_hint ];
+		$this->params[$param] = [ self::cast_to(!empty($override) ? $override : $default, $type_hint), $type_hint ];
 	}
 
 	static function add(string $param, string $default, int $type_hint = Config::T_STRING) {
diff --git a/classes/handler/public.php b/classes/handler/public.php
index 42be6f713..58e467a4f 100755
--- a/classes/handler/public.php
+++ b/classes/handler/public.php
@@ -354,10 +354,12 @@ class Handler_Public extends Handler {
 			$remember_me = clean($_POST["remember_me"] ?? false);
 			$safe_mode = checkbox_to_sql_bool(clean($_POST["safe_mode"] ?? false));
 
-			if ($remember_me) {
-				@session_set_cookie_params(Config::get(Config::SESSION_COOKIE_LIFETIME));
-			} else {
-				@session_set_cookie_params(0);
+			if (session_status() != PHP_SESSION_ACTIVE) {
+				if ($remember_me) {
+					session_set_cookie_params(Config::get(Config::SESSION_COOKIE_LIFETIME));
+				} else {
+					session_set_cookie_params(0);
+				}
 			}
 
 			if (UserHelper::authenticate($login, $password)) {
diff --git a/classes/pref/prefs.php b/classes/pref/prefs.php
index 0d0dcadbc..ffee57ed5 100644
--- a/classes/pref/prefs.php
+++ b/classes/pref/prefs.php
@@ -1370,6 +1370,8 @@ class Pref_Prefs extends Handler_Protected {
 
 	static function _init_user_prefs($uid, $profile = false) {
 
+		Prefs::initialize($uid, $profile);
+
 		if (get_schema_version() < 63) $profile_qpart = "";
 
 		$pdo = Db::pdo();
diff --git a/classes/userhelper.php b/classes/userhelper.php
index 82a2fe05f..949c8a5cf 100644
--- a/classes/userhelper.php
+++ b/classes/userhelper.php
@@ -18,7 +18,9 @@ class UserHelper {
 
 			if ($user_id && !$check_only) {
 
-				session_start();
+				if (session_status() != PHP_SESSION_ACTIVE)
+					session_start();
+
 				session_regenerate_id(true);
 
 				$_SESSION["uid"] = $user_id;