diff --git a/ippisite/ippidb/models.py b/ippisite/ippidb/models.py
index 4954cb0745e0c1b61bff0cbf93787e09eac4994b..36d31063ad9250555b06b2b102732a029b225849 100644
--- a/ippisite/ippidb/models.py
+++ b/ippisite/ippidb/models.py
@@ -346,7 +346,7 @@ class Compound(AutoFillableModel):
         """ compute Tanimoto similarity to existing DrugBank compounds """
         self.save()
         # fingerprints to compute drugbank similarities are in settings module, default FP2
-        fingerprinter = FingerPrinter(settings.get("DRUGBANK_FINGERPRINTS", "FP2"))
+        fingerprinter = FingerPrinter(getattr(settings, "DRUGBANK_FINGERPRINTS", "FP2"))
         #1. compute tanimoto for SMILES query vs all compounds
         smiles_dict = {c.id:c.canonical_smiles for c in DrugBankCompound.objects.all()}
         tanimoto_dict = fingerprinter.tanimoto_smiles(self.canonical_smile, smiles_dict)