diff --git a/pinaxcon/settings.py b/pinaxcon/settings.py
index 4abe9d4ffb981e404b5dd0553615792ef6b02efc..5b8c9f050ee71d614ac45a7d2a881cd21e57e1bc 100644
--- a/pinaxcon/settings.py
+++ b/pinaxcon/settings.py
@@ -8,21 +8,20 @@ BASE_DIR = PACKAGE_ROOT
 
 DEBUG = bool(int(os.environ.get("DJANGO_DEBUG", "1")))
 
-DATABASES = {
-    "default": {
-        "ENGINE": "django.db.backends.sqlite3",
-        "NAME": os.path.join(PROJECT_ROOT, "dev.db"),
-    }
-}
-
 UNPREPEND_WWW = bool(int(os.environ.get("DJANGO_UNPREPEND_WWW", "0")))
 
 APPEND_SLASH = True
 
 # HEROKU: Update database configuration with $DATABASE_URL.
+DATABASES = {"default": {}}
 import dj_database_url
 db_from_env = dj_database_url.config()
 DATABASES['default'].update(db_from_env)
+if DEBUG and not DATABASES['default']:
+    DATABASES['default'] = {
+        "ENGINE": "django.db.backends.sqlite3",
+        "NAME": os.path.join(PROJECT_ROOT, "dev.db"),
+    }
 
 ALLOWED_HOSTS = os.environ.get("DJANGO_ALLOWED_HOSTS", "localhost").split()
 CANONICAL_HOST = os.environ.get("DJANGO_CANONICAL_HOST", None)
@@ -112,7 +111,9 @@ AWS_STORAGE_BUCKET_NAME = os.environ.get("DJANGO_AWS_STORAGE_BUCKET_NAME", None)
 
 
 # Make this unique, and don't share it with anybody.
-SECRET_KEY = "6r&z0i#!k-thu4nv^zzx!f$fbp(&#2i5mq_^%%@ihu_qxxotl_"
+SECRET_KEY = os.environ.get('DJANGO_SECRET_KEY', '').strip()
+if (not SECRET_KEY) and DEBUG:
+    SECRET_KEY = 'Ae=)D4\V=OFh~C63MJHgpc&6~"p-7>^2ux3#Cr;p^!RGw9.BT}U`pi|b04TDv_NB'
 
 TEMPLATES = [
     {