diff --git a/ara/server/settings.py b/ara/server/settings.py
index 5abbed7d..32c8b355 100644
--- a/ara/server/settings.py
+++ b/ara/server/settings.py
@@ -8,10 +8,10 @@ from django.utils.crypto import get_random_string
 from dynaconf import LazySettings
 
 BASE_DIR = os.environ.get("ARA_BASE_DIR", os.path.expanduser("~/.ara/server"))
-DEFAULT_CONFIG = os.path.join(BASE_DIR, "default_config.yaml")
+DEFAULT_SETTINGS = os.path.join(BASE_DIR, "settings.yaml")
 
 settings = LazySettings(
-    GLOBAL_ENV_FOR_DYNACONF="ARA", ENVVAR_FOR_DYNACONF="ARA_SETTINGS", SETTINGS_MODULE_FOR_DYNACONF=DEFAULT_CONFIG
+    GLOBAL_ENV_FOR_DYNACONF="ARA", ENVVAR_FOR_DYNACONF="ARA_SETTINGS", SETTINGS_MODULE_FOR_DYNACONF=DEFAULT_SETTINGS
 )
 
 # reread BASE_DIR since it might have gotten changed in the config file.
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ ADMINS = settings.get("ADMINS", ())
 
 def get_secret_key():
     if not settings.get("SECRET_KEY"):
-        logger.warn(f"No configuration found for SECRET_KEY. Generating a random key...")
+        logger.warn(f"No setting found for SECRET_KEY. Generating a random key...")
         return get_random_string(length=50)
     return settings.get("SECRET_KEY")
 
@@ -168,17 +168,18 @@ REST_FRAMEWORK = {
     "TEST_REQUEST_DEFAULT_FORMAT": "json",
 }
 
-ARA_SETTINGS = os.getenv("ARA_SETTINGS", DEFAULT_CONFIG)
-logger.info(f"Using configuration file: {ARA_SETTINGS}")
+ARA_SETTINGS = os.getenv("ARA_SETTINGS", DEFAULT_SETTINGS)
+logger.info(f"Using settings file: {ARA_SETTINGS}")
+
+# TODO: Split this out to a CLI command (django-admin command ?)
 
 # Ensure default base configuration/data directory exists
 if not os.path.isdir(BASE_DIR):
     logger.info(f"Creating data & configuration directory: {BASE_DIR}")
     os.makedirs(BASE_DIR, mode=0o700)
 
-# TODO: Split this out to a CLI command (django-admin command ?)
-if not os.path.exists(DEFAULT_CONFIG) and "ARA_SETTINGS" not in os.environ:
-    CONFIG = dict(
+if not os.path.exists(DEFAULT_SETTINGS) and "ARA_SETTINGS" not in os.environ:
+    SETTINGS = dict(
         BASE_DIR=BASE_DIR,
         ALLOWED_HOSTS=ALLOWED_HOSTS,
         CORS_ORIGIN_WHITELIST=CORS_ORIGIN_WHITELIST,
@@ -193,15 +194,15 @@ if not os.path.exists(DEFAULT_CONFIG) and "ARA_SETTINGS" not in os.environ:
         LOG_LEVEL=LOG_LEVEL,
         LOGGING=LOGGING,
     )
-    with open(DEFAULT_CONFIG, "w+") as config_file:
+    with open(DEFAULT_SETTINGS, "w+") as settings_file:
         comment = f"""
         ---
-        # This is a default configuration template generated by ARA.
-        # To use a configuration file such as this one, you need to export the
-        # ARA_SETTINGS configuration variable like so:
-        #   $ export ARA_SETTINGS="{DEFAULT_CONFIG}"
+        # This is a default settings template generated by ARA.
+        # To use a settings file such as this one, you need to export the
+        # ARA_SETTINGS environment variable like so:
+        #   $ export ARA_SETTINGS="{DEFAULT_SETTINGS}"
 
         """
-        logger.info(f"Writing default config to {DEFAULT_CONFIG}")
-        config_file.write(textwrap.dedent(comment))
-        yaml.dump({"default": CONFIG}, config_file, default_flow_style=False)
+        logger.info(f"Writing default settings to {DEFAULT_SETTINGS}")
+        settings_file.write(textwrap.dedent(comment))
+        yaml.dump({"default": SETTINGS}, settings_file, default_flow_style=False)