diff --git a/config/env_sample.json b/config/env_sample.json
index 315efb3db..22a8f79e7 100644
--- a/config/env_sample.json
+++ b/config/env_sample.json
@@ -96,6 +96,8 @@
     "STUDENT_DASHBOARD_LTI": false,
     "/*  LTI 1.3 configuration":"*/",
     "/*  The first key of LTI_CONFIG is the Canvas URL (production, beta, or test)":"*/",
+    "/*  Note: If you leave this undefined, it will be available for configuration in the admin interface":"*/",
+    "/*  If you define any settings here, these will take effect instead of the admin settings":"*/",
     "LTI_CONFIG": {
         "https://canvas.instructure.com": [
             {
diff --git a/dashboard/lti_new.py b/dashboard/lti_new.py
index c18244e88..6f1d00689 100644
--- a/dashboard/lti_new.py
+++ b/dashboard/lti_new.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 from django.views.decorators.csrf import csrf_exempt
 from django.views.decorators.http import require_POST
 from pylti1p3.contrib.django import DjangoOIDCLogin, DjangoMessageLaunch, \
-    DjangoCacheDataStorage
+    DjangoCacheDataStorage, DjangoDbToolConf
 from pylti1p3.tool_config import ToolConfDict
 
 from dashboard.common.db_util import canvas_id_to_incremented_id
@@ -68,38 +68,42 @@ def __str__(self):
 def get_tool_conf():
     lti_config = settings.LTI_CONFIG
 
-    try:
-        config = ToolConfDict(lti_config)
-    except Exception as error:
-        return error
-
-    # There should be one key per platform
-    # and the name relay on platforms generic domain not institution specific
-    platform_domain = list(lti_config.keys())[0]
-    platform_config = lti_config[platform_domain][0]
-    client_id = platform_config['client_id']
-
-    try:
-        with open(platform_config.get(
-                'private_key_file', '/secrets/private.key'),
-                'r') as private_key_file:
-            config.set_private_key(
-                platform_domain, private_key_file.read(), client_id)
-
-        with open(platform_config.get(
-                'public_key_file', '/secrets/public.key'),
-                'r') as public_key_file:
-            config.set_public_key(
-                platform_domain, public_key_file.read(), client_id)
-
-    except OSError as error:
-        return error
+    # If there are configurations for lti_config, use that otherwise use the database config
+    if lti_config: 
+        try:
+            config = ToolConfDict(lti_config)
+        except Exception as error:
+            return error
+
+        # There should be one key per platform
+        # and the name relay on platforms generic domain not institution specific
+        platform_domain = list(lti_config.keys())[0]
+        platform_config = lti_config[platform_domain][0]
+        client_id = platform_config['client_id']
+
+        try:
+            with open(platform_config.get(
+                    'private_key_file', '/secrets/private.key'),
+                    'r') as private_key_file:
+                config.set_private_key(
+                    platform_domain, private_key_file.read(), client_id)
+
+            with open(platform_config.get(
+                    'public_key_file', '/secrets/public.key'),
+                    'r') as public_key_file:
+                config.set_public_key(
+                    platform_domain, public_key_file.read(), client_id)
+
+        except OSError as error:
+            return error
 
+    else:
+        config = DjangoDbToolConf()
     return config
 
 
 def is_config_valid(config: ToolConfDict):
-    if isinstance(config, ToolConfDict):
+    if isinstance(config, (ToolConfDict, DjangoDbToolConf)):
         logger.info('LTI configuration valid.')
         return True
     else:
diff --git a/dashboard/settings.py b/dashboard/settings.py
index 77dfbccee..e47845643 100644
--- a/dashboard/settings.py
+++ b/dashboard/settings.py
@@ -441,6 +441,9 @@
     LTI_CONFIG = ENV.get('LTI_CONFIG', {})
     LTI_CONFIG_TEMPLATE_PATH = ENV.get('LTI_CONFIG_TEMPLATE_PATH')
     LTI_CONFIG_DISABLE_DEPLOYMENT_ID_VALIDATION = ENV.get('LTI_CONFIG_DISABLE_DEPLOYMENT_ID_VALIDATION', False)
+    # If LTI_CONFIG is not defined then add the admin interface config
+    if not LTI_CONFIG:
+        INSTALLED_APPS += ('pylti1p3.contrib.django.lti1p3_tool_config',)
 
 # This is used to fix ids from Canvas Data which are incremented by some large number
 CANVAS_DATA_ID_INCREMENT = ENV.get("CANVAS_DATA_ID_INCREMENT", 17700000000000000)