diff --git a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/models/user.py b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/models/user.py
index cf449ac82..0a5a91368 100644
--- a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/models/user.py
+++ b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/models/user.py
@@ -27,12 +27,12 @@ class UserModel(SpiffworkflowBaseDBModel):
 
     id: int = db.Column(db.Integer, primary_key=True)
     username: str = db.Column(db.String(255), nullable=False, unique=True)
-    email: str = db.Column(db.String(255), index=True)
+    email: str | None = db.Column(db.String(255), index=True)
 
     service = db.Column(db.String(255), nullable=False, unique=False, index=True)  # not 'openid' -- google, aws
     service_id = db.Column(db.String(255), nullable=False, unique=False, index=True)
 
-    display_name: str = db.Column(db.String(255))
+    display_name: str | None = db.Column(db.String(255))
     tenant_specific_field_1: str | None = db.Column(db.String(255))
     tenant_specific_field_2: str | None = db.Column(db.String(255))
     tenant_specific_field_3: str | None = db.Column(db.String(255))
diff --git a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/routes/onboarding_controller.py b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/routes/onboarding_controller.py
index 05fdad2e7..f91b0f338 100644
--- a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/routes/onboarding_controller.py
+++ b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/routes/onboarding_controller.py
@@ -29,9 +29,11 @@ def get_onboarding() -> Response:
             task = processor.next_task()
             db.session.flush()
             if task:
-                task_model: TaskModel | None = TaskModel.query.filter_by(guid=str(task.id),
-                                                                         process_instance_id=process_instance.id).first()
-                result['task_id'] = task_model.guid
-                result['instructions'] =  JinjaService.render_instructions_for_end_user(task_model)
+                task_model: TaskModel | None = TaskModel.query.filter_by(
+                    guid=str(task.id), process_instance_id=process_instance.id
+                ).first()
+                if task_model is not None:
+                    result["task_id"] = task_model.guid
+                    result["instructions"] = JinjaService.render_instructions_for_end_user(task_model)
 
     return make_response(result, 200)
diff --git a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/scripts/times_executed_by_user.py b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/scripts/times_executed_by_user.py
index 616c60d9f..84d73f721 100644
--- a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/scripts/times_executed_by_user.py
+++ b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/scripts/times_executed_by_user.py
@@ -19,4 +19,4 @@ class TimesExecutedByUser(Script):
         if process_model_identifer is not None:
             return ProcessInstanceService.times_executed_by_user(process_model_identifer)
         else:
-            return False
+            return 0
diff --git a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/services/process_instance_service.py b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/services/process_instance_service.py
index 2834ddc92..9b84649e0 100644
--- a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/services/process_instance_service.py
+++ b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/services/process_instance_service.py
@@ -57,18 +57,15 @@ class ProcessInstanceService:
         )
         return started_instance is not None
 
-    def times_executed_by_user(process_model_identifier: str) -> bool:
+    @staticmethod
+    def times_executed_by_user(process_model_identifier: str) -> int:
         total = (
             db.session.query(ProcessInstanceModel)
-            .filter(
-                ProcessInstanceModel.process_model_identifier == process_model_identifier
-            )
+            .filter(ProcessInstanceModel.process_model_identifier == process_model_identifier)
             .count()
         )
         return total
 
-
-
     @staticmethod
     def next_start_event_configuration(process_instance_model: ProcessInstanceModel) -> StartConfiguration:
         try:
diff --git a/spiffworkflow-backend/tests/spiffworkflow_backend/integration/test_onboarding.py b/spiffworkflow-backend/tests/spiffworkflow_backend/integration/test_onboarding.py
index 08964bbc4..62555aebd 100644
--- a/spiffworkflow-backend/tests/spiffworkflow_backend/integration/test_onboarding.py
+++ b/spiffworkflow-backend/tests/spiffworkflow_backend/integration/test_onboarding.py
@@ -45,4 +45,8 @@ class TestOnboarding(BaseTest):
         )
 
         assert results.status_code == 200
-        assert results.json == {"type": "default_view", "value": "my_tasks"}
+        assert len(results.json.keys()) == 4
+        assert results.json["type"] == "default_view"
+        assert results.json["value"] == "my_tasks"
+        assert results.json["instructions"] == ""
+        assert results.json["task_id"] is not None
diff --git a/spiffworkflow-frontend/src/routes/HomePageRoutes.tsx b/spiffworkflow-frontend/src/routes/HomePageRoutes.tsx
index f0acd92ee..d618ba218 100644
--- a/spiffworkflow-frontend/src/routes/HomePageRoutes.tsx
+++ b/spiffworkflow-frontend/src/routes/HomePageRoutes.tsx
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ export default function HomePageRoutes() {
       <OnboardingView />
       {renderTabs()}
       <Routes>
+        <Route path="/" element={<InProgressInstances />} />
         <Route path="my-tasks" element={<MyTasks />} />
         <Route path=":process_instance_id/:task_id" element={<TaskShow />} />
         <Route path="grouped" element={<InProgressInstances />} />
diff --git a/spiffworkflow-frontend/src/routes/OnboardingView.tsx b/spiffworkflow-frontend/src/routes/OnboardingView.tsx
index fb254dc8e..eecb55525 100644
--- a/spiffworkflow-frontend/src/routes/OnboardingView.tsx
+++ b/spiffworkflow-frontend/src/routes/OnboardingView.tsx
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import React, { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
 import MDEditor from '@uiw/react-md-editor';
 import HttpService from '../services/HttpService';
 import { Onboarding } from '../interfaces';
+import { objectIsEmpty } from '../helpers';
 
 export default function OnboardingView() {
   const [onboarding, setOnboarding] = useState<Onboarding | null>(null);
@@ -16,7 +17,11 @@ export default function OnboardingView() {
   }, [setOnboarding]);
 
   const onboardingElement = () => {
-    if (onboarding && onboarding.instructions.length > 0) {
+    if (
+      onboarding &&
+      !objectIsEmpty(onboarding) &&
+      onboarding.instructions.length > 0
+    ) {
       return (
         <MDEditor.Markdown
           className="onboarding"