diff --git a/wagtail/project_template/manage.py b/wagtail/project_template/manage.py
index 493f38dfb2..d5c36a9c07 100755
--- a/wagtail/project_template/manage.py
+++ b/wagtail/project_template/manage.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import os
 import sys
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
-    os.environ.setdefault("DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE", "{{ project_name }}.settings")
+    os.environ.setdefault("DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE", "{{ project_name }}.settings.dev")
 
     from django.core.management import execute_from_command_line
 
diff --git a/wagtail/project_template/project_name/settings/__init__.py b/wagtail/project_template/project_name/settings/__init__.py
index c7873286aa..e69de29bb2 100644
--- a/wagtail/project_template/project_name/settings/__init__.py
+++ b/wagtail/project_template/project_name/settings/__init__.py
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-from .dev import *
diff --git a/wagtail/project_template/project_name/wsgi.py b/wagtail/project_template/project_name/wsgi.py
index b6340f3361..f58f6b154c 100644
--- a/wagtail/project_template/project_name/wsgi.py
+++ b/wagtail/project_template/project_name/wsgi.py
@@ -13,6 +13,6 @@ import os
 
 from django.core.wsgi import get_wsgi_application
 
-os.environ.setdefault("DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE", "{{ project_name }}.settings")
+os.environ.setdefault("DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE", "{{ project_name }}.settings.dev")
 
 application = get_wsgi_application()