diff --git a/cms/envs/aws.py b/cms/envs/aws.py
index 44f1861b05222813630afc75740c6fca11c7bad5..80f2718b53f659670260f340041a7ab82e3ac221 100644
--- a/cms/envs/aws.py
+++ b/cms/envs/aws.py
@@ -269,6 +269,8 @@ else:
 DATABASES = AUTH_TOKENS['DATABASES']
 
 # Enable automatic transaction management on all databases
+# https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/1.8/topics/db/transactions/#tying-transactions-to-http-requests
+# This needs to be true for all databases
 for database_name in DATABASES:
     DATABASES[database_name]['ATOMIC_REQUESTS'] = True
 
diff --git a/cms/envs/common.py b/cms/envs/common.py
index 63ae7caaa023184a05fdd0081d6432bda24a53e8..dc39ee2513d8981ad5f5c9603f573e21c1086436 100644
--- a/cms/envs/common.py
+++ b/cms/envs/common.py
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ from xmodule.mixin import LicenseMixin
 
 
 # Dummy secret key for dev/test
-SECRET_KEY = '85920908f28904ed733fe576320db18cabd7b6cd'
+SECRET_KEY = 'dev key'
 
 STUDIO_NAME = "Studio"
 STUDIO_SHORT_NAME = "Studio"
diff --git a/lms/envs/aws.py b/lms/envs/aws.py
index 92a629fe2ffc54dc91f01d03a2e0d7bf3bb189be..3b285d5e05ff51132d5e785e833d45fcf4a9612c 100644
--- a/lms/envs/aws.py
+++ b/lms/envs/aws.py
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ REGISTRATION_EXTRA_FIELDS = ENV_TOKENS.get('REGISTRATION_EXTRA_FIELDS', REGISTRA
 EDXMKTG_LOGGED_IN_COOKIE_NAME = ENV_TOKENS.get('EDXMKTG_LOGGED_IN_COOKIE_NAME', EDXMKTG_LOGGED_IN_COOKIE_NAME)
 EDXMKTG_USER_INFO_COOKIE_NAME = ENV_TOKENS.get('EDXMKTG_USER_INFO_COOKIE_NAME', EDXMKTG_USER_INFO_COOKIE_NAME)
 
-ENV_FEATURES = ENV_TOKENS.get('FEATURES', ENV_TOKENS.get('MITX_FEATURES', {}))
+ENV_FEATURES = ENV_TOKENS.get('FEATURES', {})
 for feature, value in ENV_FEATURES.items():
     FEATURES[feature] = value
 
@@ -259,10 +259,6 @@ USE_I18N = ENV_TOKENS.get('USE_I18N', USE_I18N)
 for app in ENV_TOKENS.get('ADDL_INSTALLED_APPS', []):
     INSTALLED_APPS += (app,)
 
-ENV_FEATURES = ENV_TOKENS.get('FEATURES', {})
-for feature, value in ENV_FEATURES.items():
-    FEATURES[feature] = value
-
 WIKI_ENABLED = ENV_TOKENS.get('WIKI_ENABLED', WIKI_ENABLED)
 local_loglevel = ENV_TOKENS.get('LOCAL_LOGLEVEL', 'INFO')
 
@@ -438,6 +434,8 @@ FILE_UPLOAD_STORAGE_PREFIX = ENV_TOKENS.get('FILE_UPLOAD_STORAGE_PREFIX', FILE_U
 DATABASES = AUTH_TOKENS['DATABASES']
 
 # Enable automatic transaction management on all databases
+# https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/1.8/topics/db/transactions/#tying-transactions-to-http-requests
+# This needs to be true for all databases
 for database_name in DATABASES:
     DATABASES[database_name]['ATOMIC_REQUESTS'] = True
 
diff --git a/lms/envs/common.py b/lms/envs/common.py
index 69763872c73cc9ed801c2625169abbcf4bd174f7..317b50f8d3184902de0d19380032cf45192ddc1b 100644
--- a/lms/envs/common.py
+++ b/lms/envs/common.py
@@ -2676,7 +2676,7 @@ CREDIT_TASK_DEFAULT_RETRY_DELAY = 30
 CREDIT_TASK_MAX_RETRIES = 5
 
 # Dummy secret key for dev/test
-SECRET_KEY = '85920908f28904ed733fe576320db18cabd7b6cd'
+SECRET_KEY = 'dev key'
 
 # Secret keys shared with credit providers.
 # Used to digitally sign credit requests (us --> provider)
diff --git a/lms/envs/test_with_mysql.py b/lms/envs/test_with_mysql.py
index 36d3d04ec841eccdf3131a80aebe7719b95fb5e1..d46290466dbdaeea17a46b162455fe3e5f2bb497 100644
--- a/lms/envs/test_with_mysql.py
+++ b/lms/envs/test_with_mysql.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ from .test import *  # pylint: disable=wildcard-import
 from .aws import *  # pylint: disable=wildcard-import
 
 # Dummy secret key for dev
-SECRET_KEY = '85920908f28904ed733fe576320db18cabd7b6cd'
+SECRET_KEY = 'dev key'
 
 INSTALLED_APPS = (
     'django.contrib.auth',