diff --git a/pandora/annotation/models.py b/pandora/annotation/models.py
index 567b0aea8..d57a2c5ab 100644
--- a/pandora/annotation/models.py
+++ b/pandora/annotation/models.py
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ class Annotation(models.Model):
             self.sortvalue = None
 
         #no clip or update clip
-        if self.layer in settings.CONFIG['clipLayers']:
+        if self.layer in settings.CONFIG.get('clipLayers', []):
             if not self.clip or self.start != self.clip.start or self.end != self.clip.end:
                 self.clip, created = Clip.get_or_create(self.item, self.start, self.end)
         elif self.clip:
diff --git a/pandora/clip/managers.py b/pandora/clip/managers.py
index a4e95e21d..21a06c8b4 100644
--- a/pandora/clip/managers.py
+++ b/pandora/clip/managers.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ def parseCondition(condition, user):
     op = condition.get('operator')
     if not op:
         op = ''
-    if k in settings.CONFIG['clipLayers']:
+    if k in settings.CONFIG.get('clipLayers', []):
         return parseCondition({'key': 'annotations__findvalue',
                                'value': v,
                                'operator': op}, user) \
diff --git a/pandora/clip/models.py b/pandora/clip/models.py
index 74c1c7a79..f8f0bc391 100644
--- a/pandora/clip/models.py
+++ b/pandora/clip/models.py
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ class MetaClip:
         if self.id:
             sortvalue = ''
             if self.id:
-                for l in settings.CONFIG['clipLayers']:
+                for l in settings.CONFIG.get('clipLayers', []):
                     sortvalue += ''.join(filter(lambda s: s,
                          [a.sortvalue
                           for a in self.annotations.filter(layer=l).order_by('sortvalue')]))