pytest-django "no Django settings specified" in CI

pytest-django needs to know which settings module to load and found none. Neither DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE in the environment nor a django_settings_module / DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE entry in pytest config was set, so it refuses to start.

What this error means

The test session aborts before collection with "Error: pytest-django: no Django settings specified. Set DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE or the django_settings_module pytest option."

pytest-django: no Django settings specified. Set DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE or the
django_settings_module pytest option.

Common causes

DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE not set for the pytest step

The job runs pytest without exporting the settings module, and no pytest config supplies it.

No DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE in pytest config

The project relies on the environment variable, which is present locally but absent in CI.

How to fix it

Declare the settings in pytest config

Pin the settings module in pytest.ini so it is set regardless of the environment.

[pytest]
DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE = myproject.settings.ci

Export the variable for the step

Set it at the job level so both pytest and manage.py commands agree.

env:
  DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE: myproject.settings.ci

How to prevent it

• Pin DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE in pytest.ini so CI does not depend on the shell.
• Keep the same settings module in the workflow env for manage.py.
• Document required env vars in the CI settings module.

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