diff --git a/rhodecode/lib/middleware/simplevcs.py b/rhodecode/lib/middleware/simplevcs.py
--- a/rhodecode/lib/middleware/simplevcs.py
+++ b/rhodecode/lib/middleware/simplevcs.py
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ from rhodecode.lib.middleware.utils impo
 from rhodecode.lib.utils import (
     is_valid_repo, get_rhodecode_realm, get_rhodecode_base_path)
 from rhodecode.lib.utils2 import safe_str, fix_PATH, str2bool
+from rhodecode.lib.vcs.conf import settings as vcs_settings
 from rhodecode.model import meta
 from rhodecode.model.db import User, Repository
 from rhodecode.model.scm import ScmModel
@@ -429,8 +430,8 @@ class SimpleVCS(object):
 
     def _prepare_callback_daemon(self, extras):
         return prepare_callback_daemon(
-            extras, protocol=self.config.get('vcs.hooks.protocol'),
-            use_direct_calls=self.config.get('vcs.hooks.direct_calls'))
+            extras, protocol=vcs_settings.HOOKS_PROTOCOL,
+            use_direct_calls=vcs_settings.HOOKS_DIRECT_CALLS)
 
 
 def _should_check_locking(query_string):
diff --git a/rhodecode/lib/vcs/conf/settings.py b/rhodecode/lib/vcs/conf/settings.py
--- a/rhodecode/lib/vcs/conf/settings.py
+++ b/rhodecode/lib/vcs/conf/settings.py
@@ -49,6 +49,9 @@ ARCHIVE_SPECS = {
     'zip': ('application/zip', '.zip'),
 }
 
+HOOKS_PROTOCOL = None
+HOOKS_DIRECT_CALLS = False
+
 PYRO_PORT = 9900
 
 PYRO_GIT = 'git_remote'
diff --git a/rhodecode/model/pull_request.py b/rhodecode/model/pull_request.py
--- a/rhodecode/model/pull_request.py
+++ b/rhodecode/model/pull_request.py
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ import datetime
 from pylons.i18n.translation import _
 from pylons.i18n.translation import lazy_ugettext
 
-import rhodecode
 from rhodecode.lib import helpers as h, hooks_utils, diffs
 from rhodecode.lib.compat import OrderedDict
 from rhodecode.lib.hooks_daemon import prepare_callback_daemon
@@ -41,13 +40,14 @@ from rhodecode.lib.utils import action_l
 from rhodecode.lib.utils2 import safe_unicode, safe_str, md5_safe
 from rhodecode.lib.vcs.backends.base import (
     Reference, MergeResponse, MergeFailureReason)
+from rhodecode.lib.vcs.conf import settings as vcs_settings
 from rhodecode.lib.vcs.exceptions import (
     CommitDoesNotExistError, EmptyRepositoryError)
 from rhodecode.model import BaseModel
 from rhodecode.model.changeset_status import ChangesetStatusModel
 from rhodecode.model.comment import ChangesetCommentsModel
 from rhodecode.model.db import (
-    PullRequest, PullRequestReviewers, Notification, ChangesetStatus,
+    PullRequest, PullRequestReviewers, ChangesetStatus,
     PullRequestVersion, ChangesetComment)
 from rhodecode.model.meta import Session
 from rhodecode.model.notification import NotificationModel, \
@@ -423,12 +423,11 @@ class PullRequestModel(BaseModel):
             }
 
         workspace_id = self._workspace_id(pull_request)
-        protocol = rhodecode.CONFIG.get('vcs.hooks.protocol')
-        use_direct_calls = rhodecode.CONFIG.get('vcs.hooks.direct_calls')
         use_rebase = self._use_rebase_for_merging(pull_request)
 
         callback_daemon, extras = prepare_callback_daemon(
-            extras, protocol=protocol, use_direct_calls=use_direct_calls)
+            extras, protocol=vcs_settings.HOOKS_PROTOCOL,
+            use_direct_calls=vcs_settings.HOOKS_DIRECT_CALLS)
 
         with callback_daemon:
             # TODO: johbo: Implement a clean way to run a config_override