diff --git a/docs/ubuntu.md b/docs/ubuntu.md
index fe7602d8..aac93d68 100644
--- a/docs/ubuntu.md
+++ b/docs/ubuntu.md
@@ -12,9 +12,10 @@ You need sudo grants on this server, and it must be connected to Internet.
 *Note: uMap also works with python 2.7 and 3.4, so adapt the package names if you work with another version.*
 
 
-## Create a deployment directory:
+## Create deployment directories:
 
     sudo mkdir -p /srv/umap
+    sudo mkdir -p /etc/umap
 
 *You can change this path, but then remember to adapt the other steps accordingly.*
 
@@ -27,6 +28,11 @@ You need sudo grants on this server, and it must be connected to Internet.
 on the various commands and configuration files if you go with your own.*
 
 
+## Give umap user access to the config folder
+
+    sudo chown umap:users /etc/umap
+
+
 ## Create a postgresql user
 
     sudo -u postgres createuser umap
@@ -65,15 +71,8 @@ you will need to run again this last line.*
 
 ## Create a local configuration file
 
-    wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/umap-project/umap/master/umap/settings/local.py.sample -O /srv/umap/local.py
+    wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/umap-project/umap/master/umap/settings/local.py.sample -O /etc/umap/umap.conf
 
-Now we need to inform umap about it.
-We'll create an environment variable for that:
-
-    export UMAP_SETTINGS=/srv/umap/local.py
-
-*Note: this variable will not be persistent if you quit your current terminal session, so
-remember to rerun this command if you open a new terminal window.*
 
 ## Create the tables
 
@@ -147,8 +146,6 @@ chdir           = /srv/umap/
 module          = umap.wsgi
 # the virtualenv (full path)
 home            = /srv/umap/venv
-# the local settings path
-env = UMAP_SETTINGS=/srv/umap/local.py
 
 # process-related settings
 # master
diff --git a/umap/settings/__init__.py b/umap/settings/__init__.py
index 3202af9c..000bffd2 100644
--- a/umap/settings/__init__.py
+++ b/umap/settings/__init__.py
@@ -9,24 +9,30 @@ from .base import *  # NOQA, default values
 # Allow to override setting from any file, may be out of the PYTHONPATH,
 # to make it easier for non python people.
 path = os.environ.get('UMAP_SETTINGS')
-if path:
-    d = imp.new_module('config')
-    d.__file__ = path
-    try:
-        with open(path) as config_file:
-            exec(compile(config_file.read(), path, 'exec'), d.__dict__)
-    except IOError as e:
-        msg = 'Unable to import {} from UMAP_SETTINGS'.format(path)
-        print(colorize(msg, fg='red'))
-        sys.exit(e)
-    else:
-        print('Loaded local config from', path)
-        for key in dir(d):
-            if key.isupper():
-                globals()[key] = getattr(d, key)
-else:
+if not path:
     # Retrocompat
-    try:
-        from .local import *  # NOQA
-    except ImportError:
-        pass
+    path = os.path.join('/etc', 'umap', 'umap.conf')
+    if not os.path.exists(path):
+        # Retrocompat
+        path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__)),
+                            'local.py')
+        if not os.path.exists(path):
+            msg = ('You must configure UMAP_SETTINGS or define '
+                   '/etc/umap/umap.conf')
+            print(colorize(msg, fg='red'))
+            sys.exit(1)
+
+d = imp.new_module('config')
+d.__file__ = path
+try:
+    with open(path) as config_file:
+        exec(compile(config_file.read(), path, 'exec'), d.__dict__)
+except IOError as e:
+    msg = 'Unable to import {} from UMAP_SETTINGS'.format(path)
+    print(colorize(msg, fg='red'))
+    sys.exit(e)
+else:
+    print('Loaded local config from', path)
+    for key in dir(d):
+        if key.isupper():
+            globals()[key] = getattr(d, key)