diff --git a/mellon/adapters.py b/mellon/adapters.py
index a4dff9d..bbf56e1 100644
--- a/mellon/adapters.py
+++ b/mellon/adapters.py
@@ -28,9 +28,6 @@ class DefaultAdapter(object):
                 return idp
 
     def get_identity_providers_setting(self):
-        if not app_settings.IDENTITY_PROVIDERS:
-            from django.core.exceptions import ImproperlyConfigured
-            raise ImproperlyConfigured('The MELLON_IDENTITY_PROVIDERS setting is mandatory')
         return app_settings.IDENTITY_PROVIDERS
 
     def get_idps(self):
diff --git a/mellon/app_settings.py b/mellon/app_settings.py
index 131ba9c..2355e8a 100644
--- a/mellon/app_settings.py
+++ b/mellon/app_settings.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import sys
 class AppSettings(object):
     __PREFIX = 'MELLON_'
     __DEFAULTS = {
+        'IDENTITY_PROVIDERS': [],
         'DISCOVERY_SERVICE_URL': None,
         'PUBLIC_KEYS': (),
         'PRIVATE_KEY': None,
diff --git a/tests/test_views.py b/tests/test_views.py
index 44d4c8e..2cbc9b4 100644
--- a/tests/test_views.py
+++ b/tests/test_views.py
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import hashlib
 from httmock import HTTMock
 
 from django.core.urlresolvers import reverse
-from django.core.exceptions import ImproperlyConfigured
 from django.utils.http import urlencode
 
 from xml_utils import assert_xml_constraints
@@ -122,11 +121,6 @@ def test_metadata(private_settings, client):
         namespaces=ns)
 
 
-def test_sp_initiated_login_improperly_configured(private_settings, client):
-    with pytest.raises(ImproperlyConfigured):
-        client.get('/login/')
-
-
 def test_sp_initiated_login_improperly_configured2(private_settings, client):
     private_settings.MELLON_IDENTITY_PROVIDERS = []
     response = client.get('/login/')