diff --git a/ietf/settings.py b/ietf/settings.py
index 23715884b..758f0ca2b 100644
--- a/ietf/settings.py
+++ b/ietf/settings.py
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ if SERVER_MODE != 'production' and SERVE_CDN_FILES_LOCALLY_IN_DEV_MODE:
     STATIC_ROOT = os.path.abspath(BASE_DIR + "/../static/")
 else:
     STATIC_URL = "https://static.ietf.org/lib/%s/"%__version__
-    STATIC_ROOT = None
+    # Intentionally not setting STATIC_ROOT - see django/django (the default is None)
 
 # List of finder classes that know how to find static files in
 # various locations.