diff --git a/src/db/index.ts b/src/db/index.ts
index b740eb92..fb89a54a 100644
--- a/src/db/index.ts
+++ b/src/db/index.ts
@@ -17,18 +17,21 @@ export type Dexie<T extends unknown = DexieTables> = BaseDexie & T;
 export const db = new BaseDexie("kickStarter") as Dexie;
 const schema = Object.assign({}, accountsSchema);
 
+/**
+ * Needed to enable a special webpack setting to allow *await* below:
+ *   https://stackoverflow.com/questions/72474803/error-the-top-level-await-experiment-is-not-enabled-set-experiments-toplevelaw
+ */
 // if db already made, skip creation
-BaseDexie.exists("kickStarter").then(function (exists) {
-  if (exists == false) {
-    // create password and place password in localStorage
-    const secret =
-      localStorage.getItem("secret") || Encryption.createRandomEncryptionKey();
+const exists = await BaseDexie.exists("kickStarter");
+if (exists == false) {
+  // create password and place password in localStorage
+  const secret =
+    localStorage.getItem("secret") || Encryption.createRandomEncryptionKey();
 
-    if (localStorage.getItem("secret") == null) {
-      localStorage.setItem("secret", secret);
-    }
-
-    encrypted(db, { secretKey: secret });
-    db.version(1).stores(schema);
+  if (localStorage.getItem("secret") == null) {
+    localStorage.setItem("secret", secret);
   }
-});
+
+  encrypted(db, { secretKey: secret });
+  db.version(1).stores(schema);
+}
diff --git a/vue.config.js b/vue.config.js
index 68babd01..7a47bf41 100644
--- a/vue.config.js
+++ b/vue.config.js
@@ -3,5 +3,8 @@ module.exports = defineConfig({
   transpileDependencies: true,
   configureWebpack: {
     devtool: "source-map",
+    experiments: {
+      topLevelAwait: true,
+    }
   },
 });