diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index e6c5863b..77937c36 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
 ENV HOME=/home/alexandria
 
 ENV PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1
-ENV DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE alexandria.settings
+ENV DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE alexandria.settings.django
 ENV APP_HOME=/app
 ENV UWSGI_INI /app/uwsgi.ini
 
diff --git a/alexandria/settings/__init__.py b/alexandria/settings/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0a85665f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/alexandria/settings/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+from .django import *
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/alexandria/settings/alexandria.py b/alexandria/settings/alexandria.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e8f0ca4b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/alexandria/settings/alexandria.py
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+import os
+import re
+
+import environ
+
+env = environ.Env()
+django_root = environ.Path(__file__) - 2
+
+ENV_FILE = env.str("ENV_FILE", default=django_root(".env"))
+if os.path.exists(ENV_FILE):
+    environ.Env.read_env(ENV_FILE)
+
+# per default production is enabled for security reasons
+# for development create .env file with ENV=development
+ENV = env.str("ENV", "production")
+
+
+def default(default_dev=env.NOTSET, default_prod=env.NOTSET):
+    """Environment aware default."""
+    return default_prod if ENV == "production" else default_dev
+
+
+ADMIN_USERNAME = env.str("ADMIN_USERNAME", default="admin")
+
+# Authentication
+OIDC_OP_USER_ENDPOINT = env.str("OIDC_OP_USER_ENDPOINT", default=None)
+OIDC_OP_TOKEN_ENDPOINT = "not supported in alexandria, but a value is needed"
+OIDC_VERIFY_SSL = env.bool("OIDC_VERIFY_SSL", default=True)
+OIDC_USERNAME_CLAIM = env.str("OIDC_USERNAME_CLAIM", default="sub")
+OIDC_GROUPS_CLAIM = env.str("OIDC_GROUPS_CLAIM", default="alexandria_groups")
+OIDC_BEARER_TOKEN_REVALIDATION_TIME = env.int(
+    "OIDC_BEARER_TOKEN_REVALIDATION_TIME", default=0
+)
+OIDC_OP_INTROSPECT_ENDPOINT = env.str("OIDC_OP_INTROSPECT_ENDPOINT", default=None)
+OIDC_RP_CLIENT_ID = env.str("OIDC_RP_CLIENT_ID", default=None)
+OIDC_RP_CLIENT_SECRET = env.str("OIDC_RP_CLIENT_SECRET", default=None)
+
+DEV_AUTH_BACKEND = env.bool("DEV_AUTH_BACKEND", default=False)
+OIDC_DRF_AUTH_BACKEND = env.str(
+    "OIDC_DRF_AUTH_BACKEND",
+    default="alexandria.oidc_auth.authentication.AlexandriaAuthenticationBackend",
+)
+if DEV_AUTH_BACKEND:
+    OIDC_DRF_AUTH_BACKEND = (
+        "alexandria.oidc_auth.authentication.DevelopmentAuthenticationBackend"
+    )
+
+
+# Extensions
+
+VISIBILITY_CLASSES = env.list(
+    "VISIBILITY_CLASSES", default=default(["alexandria.core.visibilities.Any"])
+)
+
+PERMISSION_CLASSES = env.list(
+    "PERMISSION_CLASSES", default=default(["alexandria.core.permissions.AllowAny"])
+)
+VALIDATION_CLASSES = env.list("VALIDATION_CLASSES", default=[])
+
+
+# Storage
+MEDIA_STORAGE_SERVICE = env.str("MEDIA_STORAGE_SERVICE", default="minio")
+MINIO_STORAGE_ENDPOINT = env.str("MINIO_STORAGE_ENDPOINT", default="minio:9000")
+MINIO_STORAGE_ACCESS_KEY = env.str("MINIO_STORAGE_ACCESS_KEY", default="minio")
+MINIO_STORAGE_SECRET_KEY = env.str("MINIO_STORAGE_SECRET_KEY", default="minio123")
+MINIO_STORAGE_USE_HTTPS = env.str("MINIO_STORAGE_USE_HTTPS", default=False)
+MINIO_STORAGE_MEDIA_BUCKET_NAME = env.str(
+    "MINIO_STORAGE_MEDIA_BUCKET_NAME", default="alexandria-media"
+)
+MINIO_STORAGE_AUTO_CREATE_MEDIA_BUCKET = env.str(
+    "MINIO_STORAGE_AUTO_CREATE_MEDIA_BUCKET", default=True
+)
+MINIO_PRESIGNED_TTL_MINUTES = env.str("MINIO_PRESIGNED_TTL_MINUTES", default=15)
+
+
+# Thumbnails
+ENABLE_THUMBNAIL_GENERATION = env.bool("ENABLE_THUMBNAIL_GENERATION", default=True)
+THUMBNAIL_WIDTH = env.int("THUMBNAIL_WIDTH", default=None)
+THUMBNAIL_HEIGHT = env.int("THUMBNAIL_HEIGHT", default=None)
diff --git a/alexandria/settings.py b/alexandria/settings/django.py
similarity index 60%
rename from alexandria/settings.py
rename to alexandria/settings/django.py
index 108bf008..15ecab7a 100644
--- a/alexandria/settings.py
+++ b/alexandria/settings/django.py
@@ -1,24 +1,9 @@
-import os
 import re
 
-import environ
 from django.conf import global_settings
 
-env = environ.Env()
-django_root = environ.Path(__file__) - 2
-
-ENV_FILE = env.str("ENV_FILE", default=django_root(".env"))
-if os.path.exists(ENV_FILE):
-    environ.Env.read_env(ENV_FILE)
-
-# per default production is enabled for security reasons
-# for development create .env file with ENV=development
-ENV = env.str("ENV", "production")
-
-
-def default(default_dev=env.NOTSET, default_prod=env.NOTSET):
-    """Environment aware default."""
-    return default_prod if ENV == "production" else default_dev
+from .alexandria import *  # noqa
+from .alexandria import default, django_root, env, environ
 
 
 SECRET_KEY = env.str("SECRET_KEY", default=default("uuuuuuuuuu"))
@@ -98,66 +83,6 @@ def parse_languages(languages):
 
 LOCALIZED_FIELDS_EXPERIMENTAL = True
 
-
-ADMIN_USERNAME = env.str("ADMIN_USERNAME", default="admin")
-
-# Authentication
-OIDC_OP_USER_ENDPOINT = env.str("OIDC_OP_USER_ENDPOINT", default=None)
-OIDC_OP_TOKEN_ENDPOINT = "not supported in alexandria, but a value is needed"
-OIDC_VERIFY_SSL = env.bool("OIDC_VERIFY_SSL", default=True)
-OIDC_USERNAME_CLAIM = env.str("OIDC_USERNAME_CLAIM", default="sub")
-OIDC_GROUPS_CLAIM = env.str("OIDC_GROUPS_CLAIM", default="alexandria_groups")
-OIDC_BEARER_TOKEN_REVALIDATION_TIME = env.int(
-    "OIDC_BEARER_TOKEN_REVALIDATION_TIME", default=0
-)
-OIDC_OP_INTROSPECT_ENDPOINT = env.str("OIDC_OP_INTROSPECT_ENDPOINT", default=None)
-OIDC_RP_CLIENT_ID = env.str("OIDC_RP_CLIENT_ID", default=None)
-OIDC_RP_CLIENT_SECRET = env.str("OIDC_RP_CLIENT_SECRET", default=None)
-
-DEV_AUTH_BACKEND = env.bool("DEV_AUTH_BACKEND", default=False)
-OIDC_DRF_AUTH_BACKEND = env.str(
-    "OIDC_DRF_AUTH_BACKEND",
-    default="alexandria.oidc_auth.authentication.AlexandriaAuthenticationBackend",
-)
-if DEV_AUTH_BACKEND:
-    OIDC_DRF_AUTH_BACKEND = (
-        "alexandria.oidc_auth.authentication.DevelopmentAuthenticationBackend"
-    )
-
-
-# Extensions
-
-VISIBILITY_CLASSES = env.list(
-    "VISIBILITY_CLASSES", default=default(["alexandria.core.visibilities.Any"])
-)
-
-PERMISSION_CLASSES = env.list(
-    "PERMISSION_CLASSES", default=default(["alexandria.core.permissions.AllowAny"])
-)
-VALIDATION_CLASSES = env.list("VALIDATION_CLASSES", default=[])
-
-
-# Storage
-MEDIA_STORAGE_SERVICE = env.str("MEDIA_STORAGE_SERVICE", default="minio")
-MINIO_STORAGE_ENDPOINT = env.str("MINIO_STORAGE_ENDPOINT", default="minio:9000")
-MINIO_STORAGE_ACCESS_KEY = env.str("MINIO_STORAGE_ACCESS_KEY", default="minio")
-MINIO_STORAGE_SECRET_KEY = env.str("MINIO_STORAGE_SECRET_KEY", default="minio123")
-MINIO_STORAGE_USE_HTTPS = env.str("MINIO_STORAGE_USE_HTTPS", default=False)
-MINIO_STORAGE_MEDIA_BUCKET_NAME = env.str(
-    "MINIO_STORAGE_MEDIA_BUCKET_NAME", default="alexandria-media"
-)
-MINIO_STORAGE_AUTO_CREATE_MEDIA_BUCKET = env.str(
-    "MINIO_STORAGE_AUTO_CREATE_MEDIA_BUCKET", default=True
-)
-MINIO_PRESIGNED_TTL_MINUTES = env.str("MINIO_PRESIGNED_TTL_MINUTES", default=15)
-
-
-# Thumbnails
-ENABLE_THUMBNAIL_GENERATION = env.bool("ENABLE_THUMBNAIL_GENERATION", default=True)
-THUMBNAIL_WIDTH = env.int("THUMBNAIL_WIDTH", default=None)
-THUMBNAIL_HEIGHT = env.int("THUMBNAIL_HEIGHT", default=None)
-
-
 REST_FRAMEWORK = {
     "EXCEPTION_HANDLER": "rest_framework_json_api.exceptions.exception_handler",
     "DEFAULT_PAGINATION_CLASS": "rest_framework_json_api.pagination.JsonApiPageNumberPagination",
@@ -193,11 +118,6 @@ def parse_languages(languages):
     "TEST_REQUEST_DEFAULT_FORMAT": "vnd.api+json",
 }
 
-JSON_API_FORMAT_FIELD_NAMES = "dasherize"
-JSON_API_FORMAT_TYPES = "dasherize"
-JSON_API_PLURALIZE_TYPES = True
-
-
 # Anonymous writing
 ALLOW_ANONYMOUS_WRITE = env.bool("ALLOW_ANONYMOUS_WRITE", default=False)
 
diff --git a/alexandria/wsgi.py b/alexandria/wsgi.py
index a580e5ff..8445c67f 100644
--- a/alexandria/wsgi.py
+++ b/alexandria/wsgi.py
@@ -11,6 +11,6 @@
 
 from django.core.wsgi import get_wsgi_application
 
-os.environ.setdefault("DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE", "alexandria.settings")
+os.environ.setdefault("DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE", "alexandria.settings.django")
 
 application = get_wsgi_application()
diff --git a/manage.py b/manage.py
index 07d16ce2..4aa3ebea 100755
--- a/manage.py
+++ b/manage.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 import sys
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
-    os.environ.setdefault("DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE", "alexandria.settings")
+    os.environ.setdefault("DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE", "alexandria.settings.django")
     from django.core.management import execute_from_command_line
 
     execute_from_command_line(sys.argv)
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 4353ce00..713a5424 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ line_length = 88
 
 [tool.pytest.ini_options]
 addopts = "--reuse-db --randomly-seed=1521188766"
-DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE = "alexandria.settings"
+DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE = "alexandria.settings.django"
 django_debug_mode = true
 filterwarnings = [
     "ignore::DeprecationWarning",