diff --git a/bookwyrm/settings.py b/bookwyrm/settings.py
index 88fed9c9e..6fbfd7e71 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/settings.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/settings.py
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ WSGI_APPLICATION = "bookwyrm.wsgi.application"
 # redis/activity streams settings
 REDIS_ACTIVITY_HOST = env("REDIS_ACTIVITY_HOST", "localhost")
 REDIS_ACTIVITY_PORT = env("REDIS_ACTIVITY_PORT", 6379)
-REDIS_ACTIVITY_PASSWORD = requests.utils.quote(env("REDIS_ACTIVITY_PASSWORD", None))
+REDIS_ACTIVITY_PASSWORD = requests.utils.quote(env("REDIS_ACTIVITY_PASSWORD", ""))
 REDIS_ACTIVITY_DB_INDEX = env("REDIS_ACTIVITY_DB_INDEX", 0)
 REDIS_ACTIVITY_URL = env(
     "REDIS_ACTIVITY_URL",
diff --git a/celerywyrm/settings.py b/celerywyrm/settings.py
index 7519ea6e3..5f07a7839 100644
--- a/celerywyrm/settings.py
+++ b/celerywyrm/settings.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 from bookwyrm.settings import *
 
 # pylint: disable=line-too-long
-REDIS_BROKER_PASSWORD = requests.utils.quote(env("REDIS_BROKER_PASSWORD", None))
+REDIS_BROKER_PASSWORD = requests.utils.quote(env("REDIS_BROKER_PASSWORD", ""))
 REDIS_BROKER_HOST = env("REDIS_BROKER_HOST", "redis_broker")
 REDIS_BROKER_PORT = env("REDIS_BROKER_PORT", 6379)
 REDIS_BROKER_DB_INDEX = env("REDIS_BROKER_DB_INDEX", 0)