diff --git a/app/models/setting.rb b/app/models/setting.rb
index 111193cae..0b4237537 100644
--- a/app/models/setting.rb
+++ b/app/models/setting.rb
@@ -169,6 +169,10 @@ private
     name = name.to_s
     raise "There's no setting named #{name}" unless @@available_settings.has_key?(name)
     setting = find_by_name(name)
-    setting ||= new(:name => name, :value => @@available_settings[name]['default']) if @@available_settings.has_key? name
+    unless setting
+      setting = new(:name => name)
+      setting.value = @@available_settings[name]['default']
+    end
+    setting
   end
 end