diff --git a/pelican/__init__.py b/pelican/__init__.py
index 64e334d4..a69752d8 100644
--- a/pelican/__init__.py
+++ b/pelican/__init__.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import copy
 import os
 import re
 import sys
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@ class Pelican(object):
         before doing anything else.
         """
         if settings is None:
-            settings = _DEFAULT_CONFIG
+            settings = copy.deepcopy(_DEFAULT_CONFIG)
 
         self.path = path or settings['PATH']
         if not self.path:
diff --git a/pelican/contents.py b/pelican/contents.py
index a5e3be8f..851607a5 100644
--- a/pelican/contents.py
+++ b/pelican/contents.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+import copy
 import locale
 import logging
 import functools
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@ class Page(object):
         if not metadata:
             metadata = {}
         if not settings:
-            settings = _DEFAULT_CONFIG
+            settings = copy.deepcopy(_DEFAULT_CONFIG)
 
         self.settings = settings
         self._content = content
diff --git a/pelican/settings.py b/pelican/settings.py
index 645a9809..92c68ddc 100644
--- a/pelican/settings.py
+++ b/pelican/settings.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+import copy
 import imp
 import inspect
 import os
@@ -81,7 +82,7 @@ def read_settings(filename=None):
     if filename:
         local_settings = get_settings_from_file(filename)
     else:
-        local_settings = _DEFAULT_CONFIG
+        local_settings = copy.deepcopy(_DEFAULT_CONFIG)
     configured_settings = configure_settings(local_settings, None, filename)
     return configured_settings
 
@@ -89,10 +90,9 @@ def read_settings(filename=None):
 def get_settings_from_module(module=None, default_settings=_DEFAULT_CONFIG):
     """
     Load settings from a module, returning a dict.
-
     """
 
-    context = default_settings.copy()
+    context = copy.deepcopy(default_settings)
     if module is not None:
          context.update(
              (k, v) for k, v in inspect.getmembers(module) if k.isupper()
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ def get_settings_from_file(filename, default_settings=_DEFAULT_CONFIG):
 def configure_settings(settings, default_settings=None, filename=None):
     """Provide optimizations, error checking, and warnings for loaded settings"""
     if default_settings is None:
-        default_settings = _DEFAULT_CONFIG
+        default_settings = copy.deepcopy(_DEFAULT_CONFIG)
 
     # Make the paths relative to the settings file
     if filename:
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ def configure_settings(settings, default_settings=None, filename=None):
     for locale_ in locales:
         try:
             locale.setlocale(locale.LC_ALL, locale_)
-            break  # break if it is successfull
+            break  # break if it is successful
         except locale.Error:
             pass
     else:
diff --git a/tests/test_settings.py b/tests/test_settings.py
index 25df74bd..873df824 100644
--- a/tests/test_settings.py
+++ b/tests/test_settings.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
+import copy
 from os.path import dirname, abspath, join
 
-from pelican.settings import read_settings, configure_settings, _DEFAULT_CONFIG
+from pelican.settings import read_settings, configure_settings, _DEFAULT_CONFIG, DEFAULT_THEME
 from .support import unittest
 
 
@@ -31,7 +32,26 @@ class TestSettingsConfiguration(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_read_empty_settings(self):
         """providing no file should return the default values."""
         settings = read_settings(None)
-        self.assertDictEqual(settings, _DEFAULT_CONFIG)
+        expected = copy.deepcopy(_DEFAULT_CONFIG)
+        expected["FEED_DOMAIN"] = '' #This is added by configure settings
+        self.maxDiff = None
+        self.assertDictEqual(settings, expected)
+
+    def test_settings_return_independent(self):
+        """Make sure that the results from one settings call doesn't
+        effect past or future instances."""
+        self.PATH = abspath(dirname(__file__))
+        default_conf = join(self.PATH, 'default_conf.py')
+        settings = read_settings(default_conf)
+        settings['SITEURL'] = 'new-value'
+        new_settings = read_settings(default_conf)
+        self.assertNotEqual(new_settings['SITEURL'], settings['SITEURL'])
+
+    def test_defaults_not_overwritten(self):
+        """This assumes 'SITENAME': 'A Pelican Blog'"""
+        settings = read_settings(None)
+        settings['SITENAME'] = 'Not a Pelican Blog'
+        self.assertNotEqual(settings['SITENAME'], _DEFAULT_CONFIG['SITENAME'])
 
     def test_configure_settings(self):
         """Manipulations to settings should be applied correctly."""