diff --git a/fsl/utils/settings.py b/fsl/utils/settings.py
index 8e5b9bb2ab7a4504c167368a52f90f75f9fa58b7..958b784b96ff122439ad5d766c5bef29f971fc29 100644
--- a/fsl/utils/settings.py
+++ b/fsl/utils/settings.py
@@ -81,8 +81,8 @@ def initialise(*args, **kwargs):
 
 # These are all overwritten by
 # the initialise function.
-def read(*args, **kwargs):
-    pass
+def read(name, default=None):
+    return default
 def write(*args, **kwargs):
     pass
 def delete(*args, **kwargs):