diff --git a/src/colab/utils/conf.py b/src/colab/utils/conf.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b73904a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/colab/utils/conf.py
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+
+import os
+import yaml
+
+from django.core.exceptions import ImproperlyConfigured
+
+
+class InaccessibleYAMLSettings(ImproperlyConfigured):
+    """Settings YAML is Inaccessible.
+
+    Check if the file exists and if you have read permissions."""
+
+
+def load_yaml_settings():
+    yaml_path = os.getenv('COLAB_SETTINGS', '/etc/colab.yaml')
+
+    if not os.path.exists(yaml_path):
+        msg = "The yaml file {} does not exist".format(yaml_path)
+        raise InaccessibleYAMLSettings(msg)
+
+    try:
+        with open(yaml_path) as yaml_file:
+            yaml_settings = yaml.load(yaml_file.read())
+    except IOError:
+        msg = ('Could not open settings file {}. Please '
+               'check if the file exists and if user '
+               'has read rights.').format(yaml_path)
+        raise InaccessibleYAMLSettings(msg)
+
+    return yaml_settings
+
+yaml_settings = load_yaml_settings()
--
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