diff --git a/fil-proofs-tooling/src/bin/settings/main.rs b/fil-proofs-tooling/src/bin/settings/main.rs
index 85c50c4df..932aa320c 100644
--- a/fil-proofs-tooling/src/bin/settings/main.rs
+++ b/fil-proofs-tooling/src/bin/settings/main.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,6 @@ use anyhow::Result;
 use storage_proofs::settings::SETTINGS;
 
 fn main() -> Result<()> {
-    println!("{:#?}", *SETTINGS.lock().unwrap());
+    println!("{:#?}", *SETTINGS);
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/filecoin-proofs/src/api/post.rs b/filecoin-proofs/src/api/post.rs
index c72574fe4..258120c4b 100644
--- a/filecoin-proofs/src/api/post.rs
+++ b/filecoin-proofs/src/api/post.rs
@@ -624,10 +624,7 @@ pub fn verify_winning_post<Tree: 'static + MerkleTreeTrait>(
         k: None,
     };
 
-    let use_fil_blst = settings::SETTINGS
-        .lock()
-        .expect("use_fil_blst settings lock failure")
-        .use_fil_blst;
+    let use_fil_blst = settings::SETTINGS.use_fil_blst;
 
     let is_valid = if use_fil_blst {
         info!("verify_winning_post: use_fil_blst=true");
@@ -1000,10 +997,7 @@ pub fn verify_window_post<Tree: 'static + MerkleTreeTrait>(
         k: None,
     };
 
-    let use_fil_blst = settings::SETTINGS
-        .lock()
-        .expect("use_fil_blst settings lock failure")
-        .use_fil_blst;
+    let use_fil_blst = settings::SETTINGS.use_fil_blst;
 
     let is_valid = if use_fil_blst {
         info!("verify_window_post: use_fil_blst=true");
diff --git a/filecoin-proofs/src/api/seal.rs b/filecoin-proofs/src/api/seal.rs
index 9b17b68aa..1a4a46969 100644
--- a/filecoin-proofs/src/api/seal.rs
+++ b/filecoin-proofs/src/api/seal.rs
@@ -609,10 +609,7 @@ pub fn verify_seal<Tree: 'static + MerkleTreeTrait>(
             k: None,
         };
 
-    let use_fil_blst = settings::SETTINGS
-        .lock()
-        .expect("use_fil_blst settings lock failure")
-        .use_fil_blst;
+    let use_fil_blst = settings::SETTINGS.use_fil_blst;
 
     let result = if use_fil_blst {
         info!("verify_seal: use_fil_blst=true");
diff --git a/storage-proofs/core/src/crypto/pedersen.rs b/storage-proofs/core/src/crypto/pedersen.rs
index 07f0d9f2f..3f4acff39 100644
--- a/storage-proofs/core/src/crypto/pedersen.rs
+++ b/storage-proofs/core/src/crypto/pedersen.rs
@@ -10,12 +10,8 @@ use crate::hasher::pedersen::pedersen_hash;
 use crate::settings;
 
 lazy_static! {
-    pub static ref JJ_PARAMS: JubjubBls12 = JubjubBls12::new_with_window_size(
-        settings::SETTINGS
-            .lock()
-            .expect("settings lock failure")
-            .pedersen_hash_exp_window_size
-    );
+    pub static ref JJ_PARAMS: JubjubBls12 =
+        JubjubBls12::new_with_window_size(settings::SETTINGS.pedersen_hash_exp_window_size);
 }
 
 pub const PEDERSEN_BLOCK_SIZE: usize = 256;
diff --git a/storage-proofs/core/src/parameter_cache.rs b/storage-proofs/core/src/parameter_cache.rs
index 6218d23c8..b1e34864a 100644
--- a/storage-proofs/core/src/parameter_cache.rs
+++ b/storage-proofs/core/src/parameter_cache.rs
@@ -142,11 +142,7 @@ impl Drop for LockedFile {
 }
 
 pub fn parameter_cache_dir_name() -> String {
-    settings::SETTINGS
-        .lock()
-        .expect("parameter_cache_dir_name settings lock failure")
-        .parameter_cache
-        .clone()
+    settings::SETTINGS.parameter_cache.clone()
 }
 
 pub fn parameter_cache_dir() -> PathBuf {
@@ -329,10 +325,7 @@ fn ensure_parent(path: &PathBuf) -> Result<()> {
 pub fn read_cached_params(cache_entry_path: &PathBuf) -> Result<groth16::MappedParameters<Bls12>> {
     info!("checking cache_path: {:?} for parameters", cache_entry_path);
 
-    let verify_production_params = settings::SETTINGS
-        .lock()
-        .expect("verify_production_params settings lock failure")
-        .verify_production_params;
+    let verify_production_params = settings::SETTINGS.verify_production_params;
 
     // If the verify production params is set, we make sure that the path being accessed matches a
     // production cache key, found in the 'parameters.json' file. The parameter data file is also
diff --git a/storage-proofs/core/src/settings.rs b/storage-proofs/core/src/settings.rs
index 1dd3df039..222547c03 100644
--- a/storage-proofs/core/src/settings.rs
+++ b/storage-proofs/core/src/settings.rs
@@ -1,13 +1,11 @@
 use std::env;
-use std::sync::Mutex;
 
 use config::{Config, ConfigError, Environment, File};
 use lazy_static::lazy_static;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
 lazy_static! {
-    pub static ref SETTINGS: Mutex<Settings> =
-        Mutex::new(Settings::new().expect("invalid configuration"));
+    pub static ref SETTINGS: Settings = Settings::new().expect("invalid configuration");
 }
 
 const SETTINGS_PATH: &str = "./rust-fil-proofs.config.toml";
diff --git a/storage-proofs/core/src/util.rs b/storage-proofs/core/src/util.rs
index 3386ce66e..94cabac00 100644
--- a/storage-proofs/core/src/util.rs
+++ b/storage-proofs/core/src/util.rs
@@ -163,10 +163,7 @@ pub fn default_rows_to_discard(leafs: usize, arity: usize) -> usize {
 
     // This configurable setting is for a default oct-tree
     // rows_to_discard value, which defaults to 2.
-    let rows_to_discard = settings::SETTINGS
-        .lock()
-        .expect("rows_to_discard settings lock failure")
-        .rows_to_discard as usize;
+    let rows_to_discard = settings::SETTINGS.rows_to_discard as usize;
 
     // Discard at most 'constant value' rows (coded below,
     // differing by arity) while respecting the max number that
diff --git a/storage-proofs/porep/src/stacked/vanilla/cache.rs b/storage-proofs/porep/src/stacked/vanilla/cache.rs
index 470e85c56..12af5b609 100644
--- a/storage-proofs/porep/src/stacked/vanilla/cache.rs
+++ b/storage-proofs/porep/src/stacked/vanilla/cache.rs
@@ -186,10 +186,7 @@ impl ParentCache {
             }
             Some(pcd) => (
                 Some(pcd),
-                settings::SETTINGS
-                    .lock()
-                    .expect("verify_cache settings lock failure")
-                    .verify_cache,
+                settings::SETTINGS.verify_cache,
                 pcd.digest.clone(),
             ),
         };
@@ -364,11 +361,7 @@ impl ParentCache {
 }
 
 fn parent_cache_dir_name() -> String {
-    settings::SETTINGS
-        .lock()
-        .expect("parent_cache settings lock failure")
-        .parent_cache
-        .clone()
+    settings::SETTINGS.parent_cache.clone()
 }
 
 fn parent_cache_id(path: &PathBuf) -> String {
diff --git a/storage-proofs/porep/src/stacked/vanilla/cores.rs b/storage-proofs/porep/src/stacked/vanilla/cores.rs
index 351ea34f9..42507c431 100644
--- a/storage-proofs/porep/src/stacked/vanilla/cores.rs
+++ b/storage-proofs/porep/src/stacked/vanilla/cores.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ type CoreGroup = Vec<CoreIndex>;
 lazy_static! {
     pub static ref TOPOLOGY: Mutex<Topology> = Mutex::new(Topology::new());
     pub static ref CORE_GROUPS: Option<Vec<Mutex<CoreGroup>>> = {
-        let settings = settings::SETTINGS.lock().expect("settings lock failure");
+        let settings = &settings::SETTINGS;
         let num_producers = settings.multicore_sdr_producers;
         let cores_per_unit = num_producers + 1;
 
diff --git a/storage-proofs/porep/src/stacked/vanilla/create_label/multi.rs b/storage-proofs/porep/src/stacked/vanilla/create_label/multi.rs
index ef6d4ad18..17fa51ec5 100644
--- a/storage-proofs/porep/src/stacked/vanilla/create_label/multi.rs
+++ b/storage-proofs/porep/src/stacked/vanilla/create_label/multi.rs
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ fn create_layer_labels(
     info!("Creating labels for layer {}", cur_layer);
     // num_producers is the number of producer threads
     let (lookahead, num_producers, producer_stride) = {
-        let settings = settings::SETTINGS.lock().expect("settings lock failure");
+        let settings = &settings::SETTINGS;
         let lookahead = settings.multicore_sdr_lookahead;
         let num_producers = settings.multicore_sdr_producers;
         // NOTE: Stride must not exceed the number of nodes in parents_cache's window. If it does, the process will deadlock
@@ -432,10 +432,7 @@ pub fn create_labels_for_encoding<Tree: 'static + MerkleTreeTrait, T: AsRef<[u8]
 
     let sector_size = graph.size() * NODE_SIZE;
     let node_count = graph.size() as u64;
-    let cache_window_nodes = settings::SETTINGS
-        .lock()
-        .expect("sdr_parents_cache_size settings lock failure")
-        .sdr_parents_cache_size as usize;
+    let cache_window_nodes = settings::SETTINGS.sdr_parents_cache_size as usize;
 
     let default_cache_size = DEGREE * 4 * cache_window_nodes;
 
@@ -533,11 +530,7 @@ pub fn create_labels_for_decoding<Tree: 'static + MerkleTreeTrait, T: AsRef<[u8]
 
     let sector_size = graph.size() * NODE_SIZE;
     let node_count = graph.size() as u64;
-    let cache_window_nodes = (settings::SETTINGS
-        .lock()
-        .expect("sdr_parents_cache_window_nodes settings lock failure")
-        .sdr_parents_cache_size
-        / 2) as usize;
+    let cache_window_nodes = (&settings::SETTINGS.sdr_parents_cache_size / 2) as usize;
 
     let default_cache_size = DEGREE * 4 * cache_window_nodes;
 
diff --git a/storage-proofs/porep/src/stacked/vanilla/graph.rs b/storage-proofs/porep/src/stacked/vanilla/graph.rs
index 704013745..1ef5d31ab 100644
--- a/storage-proofs/porep/src/stacked/vanilla/graph.rs
+++ b/storage-proofs/porep/src/stacked/vanilla/graph.rs
@@ -129,10 +129,7 @@ where
     /// Returns a reference to the parent cache.
     pub fn parent_cache(&self) -> Result<ParentCache> {
         // Number of nodes to be cached in memory
-        let default_cache_size = settings::SETTINGS
-            .lock()
-            .expect("sdr_parents_cache_size settings lock failure")
-            .sdr_parents_cache_size;
+        let default_cache_size = settings::SETTINGS.sdr_parents_cache_size;
         let cache_entries = self.size() as u32;
         let cache_size = cache_entries.min(default_cache_size);
 
diff --git a/storage-proofs/porep/src/stacked/vanilla/proof.rs b/storage-proofs/porep/src/stacked/vanilla/proof.rs
index 6b9937dde..d84cc7824 100644
--- a/storage-proofs/porep/src/stacked/vanilla/proof.rs
+++ b/storage-proofs/porep/src/stacked/vanilla/proof.rs
@@ -302,11 +302,7 @@ impl<'a, Tree: 'static + MerkleTreeTrait, G: 'static + Hasher> StackedDrg<'a, Tr
     ) -> Result<(Labels<Tree>, Vec<LayerState>)> {
         let mut parent_cache = graph.parent_cache()?;
 
-        if settings::SETTINGS
-            .lock()
-            .expect("use_multicore_sdr settings lock failure")
-            .use_multicore_sdr
-        {
+        if settings::SETTINGS.use_multicore_sdr {
             info!("multi core replication");
             create_label::multi::create_labels_for_encoding(
                 graph,
@@ -336,11 +332,7 @@ impl<'a, Tree: 'static + MerkleTreeTrait, G: 'static + Hasher> StackedDrg<'a, Tr
     ) -> Result<LabelsCache<Tree>> {
         let mut parent_cache = graph.parent_cache()?;
 
-        if settings::SETTINGS
-            .lock()
-            .expect("use_multicore_sdr settings lock failure")
-            .use_multicore_sdr
-        {
+        if settings::SETTINGS.use_multicore_sdr {
             info!("multi core replication");
             create_label::multi::create_labels_for_decoding(
                 graph,
@@ -391,11 +383,7 @@ impl<'a, Tree: 'static + MerkleTreeTrait, G: 'static + Hasher> StackedDrg<'a, Tr
         ColumnArity: 'static + PoseidonArity,
         TreeArity: PoseidonArity,
     {
-        if settings::SETTINGS
-            .lock()
-            .expect("use_gpu_column_builder settings lock failure")
-            .use_gpu_column_builder
-        {
+        if settings::SETTINGS.use_gpu_column_builder {
             Self::generate_tree_c_gpu::<ColumnArity, TreeArity>(
                 layers,
                 nodes_count,
@@ -440,18 +428,9 @@ impl<'a, Tree: 'static + MerkleTreeTrait, G: 'static + Hasher> StackedDrg<'a, Tr
             // Override these values with care using environment variables:
             // FIL_PROOFS_MAX_GPU_COLUMN_BATCH_SIZE, FIL_PROOFS_MAX_GPU_TREE_BATCH_SIZE, and
             // FIL_PROOFS_COLUMN_WRITE_BATCH_SIZE respectively.
-            let max_gpu_column_batch_size = settings::SETTINGS
-                .lock()
-                .expect("max_gpu_column_batch_size settings lock failure")
-                .max_gpu_column_batch_size as usize;
-            let max_gpu_tree_batch_size = settings::SETTINGS
-                .lock()
-                .expect("max_gpu_tree_batch_size settings lock failure")
-                .max_gpu_tree_batch_size as usize;
-            let column_write_batch_size = settings::SETTINGS
-                .lock()
-                .expect("column_write_batch_size settings lock failure")
-                .column_write_batch_size as usize;
+            let max_gpu_column_batch_size = settings::SETTINGS.max_gpu_column_batch_size as usize;
+            let max_gpu_tree_batch_size = settings::SETTINGS.max_gpu_tree_batch_size as usize;
+            let column_write_batch_size = settings::SETTINGS.column_write_batch_size as usize;
 
             // This channel will receive batches of columns and add them to the ColumnTreeBuilder.
             let (builder_tx, builder_rx) = mpsc::sync_channel(0);
@@ -719,16 +698,9 @@ impl<'a, Tree: 'static + MerkleTreeTrait, G: 'static + Hasher> StackedDrg<'a, Tr
         data.ensure_data()?;
         let last_layer_labels = labels.labels_for_last_layer()?;
 
-        if settings::SETTINGS
-            .lock()
-            .expect("use_gpu_tree_builder settings lock failure")
-            .use_gpu_tree_builder
-        {
+        if settings::SETTINGS.use_gpu_tree_builder {
             info!("generating tree r last using the GPU");
-            let max_gpu_tree_batch_size = settings::SETTINGS
-                .lock()
-                .expect("max_gpu_tree_batch_size settings lock failure")
-                .max_gpu_tree_batch_size as usize;
+            let max_gpu_tree_batch_size = settings::SETTINGS.max_gpu_tree_batch_size as usize;
 
             // This channel will receive batches of leaf nodes and add them to the TreeBuilder.
             let (builder_tx, builder_rx) = mpsc::sync_channel::<(Vec<Fr>, bool)>(0);
@@ -1190,16 +1162,9 @@ impl<'a, Tree: 'static + MerkleTreeTrait, G: 'static + Hasher> StackedDrg<'a, Tr
             tree_count,
         )?;
 
-        if settings::SETTINGS
-            .lock()
-            .expect("use_gpu_tree_builder settings lock failure")
-            .use_gpu_tree_builder
-        {
+        if settings::SETTINGS.use_gpu_tree_builder {
             info!("generating tree r last using the GPU");
-            let max_gpu_tree_batch_size = settings::SETTINGS
-                .lock()
-                .expect("max_gpu_tree_batch_size settings lock failure")
-                .max_gpu_tree_batch_size as usize;
+            let max_gpu_tree_batch_size = settings::SETTINGS.max_gpu_tree_batch_size as usize;
 
             let mut tree_builder = TreeBuilder::<Tree::Arity>::new(
                 Some(BatcherType::GPU),
diff --git a/storage-proofs/post/src/fallback/circuit.rs b/storage-proofs/post/src/fallback/circuit.rs
index c58dff3d0..4bc377c87 100644
--- a/storage-proofs/post/src/fallback/circuit.rs
+++ b/storage-proofs/post/src/fallback/circuit.rs
@@ -186,10 +186,7 @@ impl<Tree: 'static + MerkleTreeTrait> FallbackPoStCircuit<Tree> {
     ) -> Result<(), SynthesisError> {
         let FallbackPoStCircuit { sectors, .. } = self;
 
-        let num_chunks = settings::SETTINGS
-            .lock()
-            .expect("window_post_synthesis_num_cpus settings lock failure")
-            .window_post_synthesis_num_cpus as usize;
+        let num_chunks = settings::SETTINGS.window_post_synthesis_num_cpus as usize;
 
         let chunk_size = (sectors.len() / num_chunks).max(1);
         let css = sectors