diff --git a/awx/api/views.py b/awx/api/views.py
index 1677bb37be..a87957b0e9 100644
--- a/awx/api/views.py
+++ b/awx/api/views.py
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ class ApiV1ConfigView(APIView):
         '''Return various sitewide configuration settings.'''
 
         license_reader = TaskSerializer()
-        license_data   = license_reader.from_file(show_key=request.user.is_superuser)
+        license_data   = license_reader.from_database(show_key=request.user.is_superuser)
 
         pendo_state = tower_settings.PENDO_TRACKING_STATE if tower_settings.PENDO_TRACKING_STATE in ('off', 'anonymous', 'detailed') else 'off'
 
@@ -264,9 +264,7 @@ class ApiV1ConfigView(APIView):
 
         # If the license is valid, write it to disk.
         if license_data['valid_key']:
-            fh = open(TASK_FILE, "w")
-            fh.write(data_actual)
-            fh.close()
+            tower_settings.LICENSE = data_actual
 
             # Spawn a task to ensure that MongoDB is started (or stopped)
             # as appropriate, based on whether the license uses it.
diff --git a/awx/main/conf.py b/awx/main/conf.py
index 40646c2537..915f361639 100644
--- a/awx/main/conf.py
+++ b/awx/main/conf.py
@@ -9,17 +9,24 @@ class TowerConfiguration(object):
 
     # TODO: Caching so we don't have to hit the database every time for settings
     def __getattr__(self, key):
+        settings_manifest = django_settings.TOWER_SETTINGS_MANIFEST
+        if key not in settings_manifest:
+            raise AttributeError("Tower Setting with key '{0}' is not defined in the manifest".format(key))
         ts = TowerSettings.objects.filter(key=key)
         if not ts.exists():
-            return getattr(django_settings, key)
+            try:
+                val_actual = getattr(django_settings, key)
+            except AttributeError:
+                val_actual = settings_manifest[key]['default']
+            return val_actual
         return ts[0].value_converted
 
-    def create(key, value):
+    def __setattr__(self, key, value):
         settings_manifest = django_settings.TOWER_SETTINGS_MANIFEST
         if key not in settings_manifest:
             raise AttributeError("Tower Setting with key '{0}' does not exist".format(key))
         settings_entry = settings_manifest[key]
-        setting_actual = TowerSettings.objects.filter(key=key)
+        settings_actual = TowerSettings.objects.filter(key=key)
         if not settings_actual.exists():
             settings_actual = TowerSettings(key=key,
                                             description=settings_entry['description'],
diff --git a/awx/main/middleware.py b/awx/main/middleware.py
index 39e8bc7565..4737ed74a8 100644
--- a/awx/main/middleware.py
+++ b/awx/main/middleware.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ from django.conf import settings
 
 from awx import __version__ as version
 from awx.main.models import ActivityStream, Instance
-from awx.main.comf import tower_settings
+from awx.main.conf import tower_settings
 from awx.api.authentication import TokenAuthentication
 
 
diff --git a/awx/main/models/configuration.py b/awx/main/models/configuration.py
index c7e8d07f68..c3591dd31c 100644
--- a/awx/main/models/configuration.py
+++ b/awx/main/models/configuration.py
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ class TowerSettings(CreatedModifiedModel):
             converted_type = [x.strip() for x in self.value.split(',')]
         elif self.value_type == 'bool':
             converted_type = self.value in [True, "true", "True", 1, "1", "yes"]
+        elif self.value_type == 'string':
+            converted_type = self.value
         else:
             t = __builtins__[self.value_type]
             converted_type = t(self.value)
diff --git a/awx/settings/defaults.py b/awx/settings/defaults.py
index 5bff8359c7..2e35c848f7 100644
--- a/awx/settings/defaults.py
+++ b/awx/settings/defaults.py
@@ -822,6 +822,13 @@ TOWER_SETTINGS_MANIFEST = {
         "type": "bool",
         "category": "system",
     },
+    "LICENSE": {
+        "name": "Tower License",
+        "description": "Controls what features and functionality is enabled in Tower.",
+        "default": "{}",
+        "type": "string",
+        "category": "system",
+    },
 }
 # Logging configuration.
 LOGGING = {