diff --git a/dynamicweb/local/__init__.py b/dynamicweb/local/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/dynamicweb/local/local_settings.py.example b/dynamicweb/local/local_settings.py.example
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c2bfcd51
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dynamicweb/local/local_settings.py.example
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+from settings import SITE_ROOT
+
+DEBUG = True
+TEMPLATE_DEBUG = DEBUG
+
+DATABASES = {
+    'default': {
+	'ENGINE': 'django.db.backends.postgresql_psycopg2',
+	'NAME': 'db_name',
+	'USER': 'username',
+	'PASSWORD': 'password',
+    }
+}
diff --git a/dynamicweb/settings.py b/dynamicweb/settings.py
index fa58a83c..be7b3e46 100644
--- a/dynamicweb/settings.py
+++ b/dynamicweb/settings.py
@@ -10,12 +10,14 @@ For the full list of settings and their values, see
 https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/1.8/ref/settings/
 """
 
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 # Build paths inside the project like this: os.path.join(BASE_DIR, ...)
 import os
 import django.db.backends.postgresql_psycopg2
 
-BASE_DIR = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
 
+gettext = lambda s: s
+BASE_DIR = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
 
 # Quick-start development settings - unsuitable for production
 # See https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/1.8/howto/deployment/checklist/
@@ -27,7 +29,7 @@ SECRET_KEY = 'xlhyv_l5-z6e8_@q6)n0up1a0$5-aad7d)om2t8g$bi6*@q44i'
 DEBUG = False
 
 ALLOWED_HOSTS = [
-    ".ungleich.ch", 
+    ".ungleich.ch",
     "digital.glarus.ungleich.ch" ]
 
 
@@ -106,7 +108,8 @@ STATIC_URL = '/static/'
 
 STATIC_ROOT = os.path.join(BASE_DIR, 'static')
 
+
 try:
-    from .settings_local import *
-except ImportError as e:
-    pass
+    from local.local_settings import *  # noqa
+except ImportError:
+    logging.warning("No local_settings file found.")