diff --git a/ietf/settings.py b/ietf/settings.py
index 34ea86cfb..490d896f6 100644
--- a/ietf/settings.py
+++ b/ietf/settings.py
@@ -83,13 +83,12 @@ SITE_ID = 1
 # to load the internationalization machinery.
 USE_I18N = False
 
-# Absolute path to the directory that holds media.
-MEDIA_ROOT = BASE_DIR + "/../static/"
+USE_TZ = False
 
-# URL that handles the media served from MEDIA_ROOT.
 MEDIA_URL = 'http://www.ietf.org/'
 
 STATIC_URL = "/"
+STATIC_ROOT = os.path.abspath(BASE_DIR + "/../static/")
 
 WSGI_APPLICATION = "ietf.wsgi.application"
 
diff --git a/ietf/urls.py b/ietf/urls.py
index ec51906b6..333d60144 100644
--- a/ietf/urls.py
+++ b/ietf/urls.py
@@ -68,10 +68,10 @@ urlpatterns = patterns('',
 
 if settings.SERVER_MODE in ('development', 'test'):
     urlpatterns += patterns('',
-        (r'^(?P<path>(?:images|css|js)/.*)$', 'django.views.static.serve', {'document_root': settings.MEDIA_ROOT}),
-        (r'^(?P<path>admin/(?:img|css|js)/.*)$', 'django.views.static.serve', {'document_root': settings.MEDIA_ROOT}),
-        (r'^(?P<path>secretariat/(img|css|js)/.*)$', 'django.views.static.serve', {'document_root': settings.MEDIA_ROOT}),
-        (r'^(?P<path>robots\.txt)$', 'django.views.static.serve', {'document_root': settings.MEDIA_ROOT+"dev/"}),
+        (r'^(?P<path>(?:images|css|js)/.*)$', 'django.views.static.serve', {'document_root': settings.STATIC_ROOT}),
+        (r'^(?P<path>admin/(?:img|css|js)/.*)$', 'django.views.static.serve', {'document_root': settings.STATIC_ROOT}),
+        (r'^(?P<path>secretariat/(img|css|js)/.*)$', 'django.views.static.serve', {'document_root': settings.STATIC_ROOT}),
+        (r'^(?P<path>robots\.txt)$', 'django.views.static.serve', {'document_root': settings.STATIC_ROOT+"dev/"}),
         (r'^_test500/$', lambda x: None),
         (r'^environment/$', 'ietf.help.views.environment'),
 	)