diff --git a/api/kiwi_vpn_api/config.py b/api/kiwi_vpn_api/config.py
index b90c103..531b69a 100644
--- a/api/kiwi_vpn_api/config.py
+++ b/api/kiwi_vpn_api/config.py
@@ -173,14 +173,7 @@ class CryptoConfig(BaseModel):
     schemes: list[str] = ["bcrypt"]
 
     @property
-    def crypt_context_sync(self) -> CryptContext:
-        return CryptContext(
-            schemes=self.schemes,
-            deprecated="auto",
-        )
-
-    @property
-    async def crypt_context(self) -> CryptContext:
+    def crypt_context(self) -> CryptContext:
         return CryptContext(
             schemes=self.schemes,
             deprecated="auto",
@@ -199,8 +192,7 @@ class Config(BaseModel):
     __singleton: Config | None = None
 
     @classmethod
-    @property
-    def _(cls) -> Config | None:
+    def load(cls) -> Config | None:
         """
         Load configuration from config file
         """
@@ -216,18 +208,14 @@ class Config(BaseModel):
         except FileNotFoundError:
             return None
 
-    @staticmethod
-    async def load() -> Config | None:
+    @classmethod
+    @property
+    def _(cls) -> Config | None:
         """
-        Load configuration from config file
+        Shorthand for load()
         """
 
-        try:
-            with open(Settings.get().config_file, "r") as config_file:
-                return Config.parse_obj(json.load(config_file))
-
-        except FileNotFoundError:
-            return None
+        return cls.load()
 
     def save(self) -> None:
         """
diff --git a/api/kiwi_vpn_api/db/user.py b/api/kiwi_vpn_api/db/user.py
index f13ccc1..3b462c9 100644
--- a/api/kiwi_vpn_api/db/user.py
+++ b/api/kiwi_vpn_api/db/user.py
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ class User(UserBase, table=True):
         Authenticate with name/password against users in database.
         """
 
-        crypt_context = Config._.crypto.crypt_context_sync
+        crypt_context = Config._.crypto.crypt_context
 
         if (user := cls.get(name)) is None:
             # nonexistent user, fake doing password verification
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ class UserCreate(UserBase):
         if (current_config := Config._) is None:
             raise ValueError("Not configured")
 
-        values["password"] = current_config.crypto.crypt_context_sync.hash(
+        values["password"] = current_config.crypto.crypt_context.hash(
             password_clear)
 
         return values
diff --git a/api/kiwi_vpn_api/routers/user.py b/api/kiwi_vpn_api/routers/user.py
index 627c5fc..2deace2 100644
--- a/api/kiwi_vpn_api/routers/user.py
+++ b/api/kiwi_vpn_api/routers/user.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ async def login(
     if not user.authenticate(
         db=db,
         password=form_data.password,
-        crypt_context=await current_config.crypto.crypt_context,
+        crypt_context=current_config.crypto.crypt_context,
     ):
         # authentication failed
         raise HTTPException(
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ async def add_user(
     new_user = User.create(
         db=db,
         user=user,
-        crypt_context=await current_config.crypto.crypt_context,
+        crypt_context=current_config.crypto.crypt_context,
     )
 
     # fail if creation was unsuccessful