diff --git a/tailbone/views/settings.py b/tailbone/views/settings.py
index ae580337..94a71853 100644
--- a/tailbone/views/settings.py
+++ b/tailbone/views/settings.py
@@ -228,7 +228,8 @@ class AppSettingsView(View):
             return self.rattail_config.getbool(setting.namespace, setting.name)
         if setting.data_type is list:
             return '\n'.join(
-                self.rattail_config.getlist(setting.namespace, setting.name))
+                self.rattail_config.getlist(setting.namespace, setting.name,
+                                            default=[]))
         return self.rattail_config.get(setting.namespace, setting.name)
 
     def save_setting_value(self, setting, value):