diff --git a/api/models/userMethods.js b/api/models/userMethods.js
index 279672b926d..6aeee74b772 100644
--- a/api/models/userMethods.js
+++ b/api/models/userMethods.js
@@ -56,10 +56,11 @@ const updateUser = async function (userId, updateData) {
  * Creates a new user, optionally with a TTL of 1 week.
  * @param {MongoUser} data - The user data to be created, must contain user_id.
  * @param {boolean} [disableTTL=true] - Whether to disable the TTL. Defaults to `true`.
+ * @param {boolean} [returnUser=false] - Whether to disable the TTL. Defaults to `true`.
  * @returns {Promise<ObjectId>} A promise that resolves to the created user document ID.
  * @throws {Error} If a user with the same user_id already exists.
  */
-const createUser = async (data, disableTTL = true) => {
+const createUser = async (data, disableTTL = true, returnUser = false) => {
   const userData = {
     ...data,
     expiresAt: disableTTL ? null : new Date(Date.now() + 604800 * 1000), // 1 week in milliseconds
@@ -71,6 +72,9 @@ const createUser = async (data, disableTTL = true) => {
 
   try {
     const user = await User.create(userData);
+    if (returnUser) {
+      return user.toObject();
+    }
     return user._id;
   } catch (error) {
     if (error.code === 11000) {
diff --git a/api/strategies/openidStrategy.js b/api/strategies/openidStrategy.js
index 7fb108a4000..794a38778d8 100644
--- a/api/strategies/openidStrategy.js
+++ b/api/strategies/openidStrategy.js
@@ -164,8 +164,7 @@ async function setupOpenId() {
               emailVerified: userinfo.email_verified || false,
               name: fullName,
             };
-            const userId = await createUser();
-            user._id = userId;
+            user = await createUser(user, true, true);
           } else {
             user.provider = 'openid';
             user.openidId = userinfo.sub;
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 388ac0e92c4..3cc15e1e850 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -29325,7 +29325,7 @@
     },
     "packages/data-provider": {
       "name": "librechat-data-provider",
-      "version": "0.6.7",
+      "version": "0.6.8",
       "license": "ISC",
       "dependencies": {
         "@types/js-yaml": "^4.0.9",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index d72ef1b22ec..070bd907da3 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "LibreChat",
-  "version": "0.7.3",
+  "version": "0.7.4-rc1",
   "description": "",
   "workspaces": [
     "api",
diff --git a/packages/data-provider/package.json b/packages/data-provider/package.json
index abe80695dc1..3c78d44603d 100644
--- a/packages/data-provider/package.json
+++ b/packages/data-provider/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "librechat-data-provider",
-  "version": "0.6.7",
+  "version": "0.6.8",
   "description": "data services for librechat apps",
   "main": "dist/index.js",
   "module": "dist/index.es.js",
diff --git a/packages/data-provider/src/config.ts b/packages/data-provider/src/config.ts
index 8808db3b14a..11bc5f6b70b 100644
--- a/packages/data-provider/src/config.ts
+++ b/packages/data-provider/src/config.ts
@@ -786,7 +786,7 @@ export enum SettingsTabValues {
 /** Enum for app-wide constants */
 export enum Constants {
   /** Key for the app's version. */
-  VERSION = 'v0.7.3',
+  VERSION = 'v0.7.4-rc1',
   /** Key for the Custom Config's version (librechat.yaml). */
   CONFIG_VERSION = '1.1.4',
   /** Standard value for the first message's `parentMessageId` value, to indicate no parent exists. */