diff --git a/src/services/options.js b/src/services/options.js
index 8d0af63fa..da883ad27 100644
--- a/src/services/options.js
+++ b/src/services/options.js
@@ -1,7 +1,16 @@
 const becca = require('../becca/becca');
+const sql = require("./sql.js");
 
 function getOption(name) {
-    const option = require('../becca/becca').getOption(name);
+    let option;
+
+    if (becca.loaded) {
+        option = becca.getOption(name);
+    }
+    else {
+        // e.g. in initial sync becca is not loaded because DB is not initialized
+        option = sql.getRow("SELECT * FROM options WHERE name = ?", name);
+    }
 
     if (!option) {
         throw new Error(`Option "${name}" doesn't exist`);
@@ -39,12 +48,12 @@ function getOptionBool(name) {
 }
 
 function setOption(name, value) {
-    const option = becca.getOption(name);
-
     if (value === true || value === false) {
         value = value.toString();
     }
 
+    const option = becca.getOption(name);
+
     if (option) {
         option.value = value;
 
diff --git a/src/services/sync.js b/src/services/sync.js
index 3325fb023..210b3aa9f 100644
--- a/src/services/sync.js
+++ b/src/services/sync.js
@@ -371,7 +371,10 @@ function getLastSyncedPull() {
 
 function setLastSyncedPull(entityChangeId) {
     const lastSyncedPullOption = becca.getOption('lastSyncedPull');
-    lastSyncedPullOption.value = entityChangeId + '';
+
+    if (lastSyncedPullOption) { // might be null in initial sync when becca is not loaded
+        lastSyncedPullOption.value = entityChangeId + '';
+    }
 
     // this way we avoid updating entity_changes which otherwise means that we've never pushed all entity_changes
     sql.execute("UPDATE options SET value = ? WHERE name = ?", [entityChangeId, 'lastSyncedPull']);
@@ -389,7 +392,10 @@ function setLastSyncedPush(entityChangeId) {
     ws.setLastSyncedPush(entityChangeId);
 
     const lastSyncedPushOption = becca.getOption('lastSyncedPush');
-    lastSyncedPushOption.value = entityChangeId + '';
+
+    if (lastSyncedPushOption) { // might be null in initial sync when becca is not loaded
+        lastSyncedPushOption.value = entityChangeId + '';
+    }
 
     // this way we avoid updating entity_changes which otherwise means that we've never pushed all entity_changes
     sql.execute("UPDATE options SET value = ? WHERE name = ?", [entityChangeId, 'lastSyncedPush']);