diff --git a/settings.py b/settings.py
index 11378a8d01db..c7e931c78828 100644
--- a/settings.py
+++ b/settings.py
@@ -132,17 +132,13 @@ def insert_debug_toolbar_middleware(middlewares):
 
 REMOTE_SETTINGS_IS_TEST_SERVER = True
 
-# If you have settings you want to overload, put them in a local_settings.py.
-try:
-    from local_settings import *  # noqa
-except ImportError:
-    import traceback
-    import warnings
-
-    warnings.warn(
-        'Could not import local_settings module. {}'.format(traceback.format_exc()),
-        stacklevel=1,
-    )
+local_settings_path = path('local_settings.py')
+
+if not os.path.exists(local_settings_path):
+    with open(local_settings_path, 'w') as file:
+        file.write('# Put settings you want to overload in this file.\n')
+
+from local_settings import *  # noqa
 
 SITEMAP_DEBUG_AVAILABLE = True