diff --git a/mopidy/__init__.py b/mopidy/__init__.py
index 09d72b26..e3321041 100644
--- a/mopidy/__init__.py
+++ b/mopidy/__init__.py
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@ import sys
 if not (2, 6) <= sys.version_info < (3,):
     sys.exit(u'Mopidy requires Python >= 2.6, < 3')
 
-from mopidy import settings as raw_settings
-
 def get_version():
     return u'0.1.0a4'
 
@@ -27,13 +25,6 @@ class MopidyException(Exception):
 class SettingsError(MopidyException):
     pass
 
-class Settings(object):
-    def __getattr__(self, attr):
-        if attr.isupper() and not hasattr(raw_settings, attr):
-            raise SettingsError(u'Setting "%s" is not set.' % attr)
-        value = getattr(raw_settings, attr)
-        if type(value) != bool and not value:
-            raise SettingsError(u'Setting "%s" is empty.' % attr)
-        return value
-
-settings = Settings()
+from mopidy import settings as default_settings_module
+from mopidy.utils.settings import SettingsProxy
+settings = SettingsProxy(default_settings_module)
diff --git a/mopidy/settings.py b/mopidy/settings.py
index 67b0c24f..c9e3606e 100644
--- a/mopidy/settings.py
+++ b/mopidy/settings.py
@@ -7,11 +7,6 @@ Available settings and their default values.
     file called ``~/.mopidy/settings.py`` and redefine settings there.
 """
 
-# Absolute import needed to import ~/.mopidy/settings.py and not ourselves
-from __future__ import absolute_import
-import os
-import sys
-
 #: List of playback backends to use. See :mod:`mopidy.backends` for all
 #: available backends.
 #:
@@ -172,10 +167,3 @@ SPOTIFY_USERNAME = u''
 #:
 #: Used by :mod:`mopidy.backends.libspotify`.
 SPOTIFY_PASSWORD = u''
-
-# Import user specific settings
-dotdir = os.path.expanduser(u'~/.mopidy/')
-settings_file = os.path.join(dotdir, u'settings.py')
-if os.path.isfile(settings_file):
-    sys.path.insert(0, dotdir)
-    from settings import *
diff --git a/mopidy/utils/settings.py b/mopidy/utils/settings.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f7209653
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mopidy/utils/settings.py
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+# Absolute import needed to import ~/.mopidy/settings.py and not ourselves
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+from copy import copy
+import os
+import sys
+
+from mopidy import SettingsError
+
+class SettingsProxy(object):
+    def __init__(self, default_settings_module):
+        self.default_settings = self._get_settings_dict_from_module(
+            default_settings_module)
+        self.local_settings = self._get_local_settings()
+        self.raw_settings = copy(self.default_settings)
+        self.raw_settings.update(self.local_settings)
+
+    def _get_local_settings(self):
+        dotdir = os.path.expanduser(u'~/.mopidy/')
+        settings_file = os.path.join(dotdir, u'settings.py')
+        if os.path.isfile(settings_file):
+            sys.path.insert(0, dotdir)
+            import settings as local_settings_module
+        return self._get_settings_dict_from_module(local_settings_module)
+
+    def _get_settings_dict_from_module(self, module):
+        settings = filter(lambda (key, value): self._is_setting(key),
+            module.__dict__.iteritems())
+        return dict(settings)
+
+    def _is_setting(self, name):
+        return name.isupper()
+
+    def __getattr__(self, attr):
+        if not self._is_setting(attr):
+            return
+        if attr not in self.raw_settings:
+            raise SettingsError(u'Setting "%s" is not set.' % attr)
+        value = self.raw_settings[attr]
+        if type(value) != bool and not value:
+            raise SettingsError(u'Setting "%s" is empty.' % attr)
+        return value
+