diff --git a/.env.dev b/.env.dev
index c09262509296ad91911a4bf75989e119117c9315..d9e2dd3ceb8c2625874cb4f7f902be5ab9c33320 100644
--- a/.env.dev
+++ b/.env.dev
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-API_AUTHENTICATION_REQUIRED=True
 RAVEN_ENABLED=false
 RAVEN_DSN=https://44332e9fdd3d42879c7d35bf8562c6a4:0062dc16a22b41679cd5765e5342f716@sentry.eliotberriot.com/5
 DJANGO_ALLOWED_HOSTS=.funkwhale.test,localhost,nginx,0.0.0.0,127.0.0.1
diff --git a/api/tests/music/test_permissions.py b/api/tests/music/test_permissions.py
index d36f37886d9930883643126642ab278eee8acf93..a5f0c41091eb9b428bb6f87aa422eabc9f610434 100644
--- a/api/tests/music/test_permissions.py
+++ b/api/tests/music/test_permissions.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ def test_list_permission_no_protect(anonymous_user, api_request, settings):
 
 
 def test_list_permission_protect_anonymous(
-        anonymous_user, api_request, settings):
+        db, anonymous_user, api_request, settings):
     settings.PROTECT_AUDIO_FILES = True
     view = APIView.as_view()
     permission = permissions.Listen()
diff --git a/changes/changelog.d/186.enhancement b/changes/changelog.d/186.enhancement
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..36777c78652e042e4ba3c6d05f9df9d0f56e442d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/changelog.d/186.enhancement
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+Store high-level settings (such as federation or auth-related ones) in database (#186)
+
+Changelog
+^^^^^^^^^
+Due to the work done in #186, the following environment variables have been
+deprecated:
+
+- FEDERATION_ENABLED
+- FEDERATION_COLLECTION_PAGE_SIZE
+- FEDERATION_MUSIC_NEEDS_APPROVAL
+- FEDERATION_ACTOR_FETCH_DELAY
+- PLAYLISTS_MAX_TRACKS
+- API_AUTHENTICATION_REQUIRED
+
+Configuration for this settings has been moved to database, as it will provide
+a better user-experience, by allowing you to edit these values on-the-fly,
+without restarting Funkwhale processes.
+
+You can leave those environment variables in your .env file for now, as the
+values will be used to populate the database entries. We'll make a proper
+announcement when the variables won't be used anymore.
+
+Please browse https://docs.funkwhale.audio/configuration.html#instance-settings
+for more information about instance configuration using the web interface.
diff --git a/docs/configuration.rst b/docs/configuration.rst
index c0de76f56a1e9d7b1d8eaeb0d9da8dea0c3257a3..1c89feeb8d1a244d3e9aa80e0e99cac416053a33 100644
--- a/docs/configuration.rst
+++ b/docs/configuration.rst
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ and technical aspects of your instance, such as database credentials.
     on environment variables.
 
 
+.. _instance-settings:
+
 Instance settings
 -----------------
 
diff --git a/docs/federation.rst b/docs/federation.rst
index 5b030074c04eb7e4a47c3372514e5482e649b437..0f016ada9acfb1dd2942ad8cfb53b55ae56531d1 100644
--- a/docs/federation.rst
+++ b/docs/federation.rst
@@ -12,8 +12,7 @@ Managing federation
 
 Federation management is only available to instance admins and users
 who have the proper permissions. You can disable federation completely
-at the instance level by setting the FEDERATION_ENABLED environment variable
-to False.
+at the instance level by editing the ``federation__enabled`` :ref:`setting <instance-settings>`.
 
 On the front end, assuming you have the proper permission, you will see
 a "Federation" link in the sidebar.
@@ -52,6 +51,6 @@ each other instance asking for access to library. This is by design,
 to ensure your library is not shared publicly without your consent.
 
 However, if you're confident about federating publicly without manual approval,
-you can set the FEDERATION_MUSIC_NEEDS_APPROVAL environment variable to false.
+you can set the ``federation__music_needs_approval`` :ref:`setting <instance-settings>` to false.
 Follow requests will be accepted automatically and followers
 given access to your library without manual intervention.