diff --git a/cms/envs/common.py b/cms/envs/common.py
index 2f482ffc0f..485c6d40b7 100644
--- a/cms/envs/common.py
+++ b/cms/envs/common.py
@@ -1558,6 +1558,8 @@ ZENDESK_CUSTOM_FIELDS = {}
 # (0.0 = 0%, 1.0 = 100%)
 COMPLETION_VIDEO_COMPLETE_PERCENTAGE = 0.95
 
+############### Settings for edx-rbac  ###############
+SYSTEM_WIDE_ROLE_CLASSES = []
 
 ############## Installed Django Apps #########################
 
@@ -1569,6 +1571,3 @@ plugin_settings.add_plugins(__name__, plugin_constants.ProjectType.CMS, plugin_c
 # setting for the FileWrapper class used to iterate over the export file data.
 # See: https://docs.python.org/2/library/wsgiref.html#wsgiref.util.FileWrapper
 COURSE_EXPORT_DOWNLOAD_CHUNK_SIZE = 8192
-
-############### Settings for edx-rbac  ###############
-SYSTEM_WIDE_ROLE_CLASSES = os.environ.get("SYSTEM_WIDE_ROLE_CLASSES", [])
diff --git a/cms/envs/production.py b/cms/envs/production.py
index 3d1a21793c..01425d6b6a 100644
--- a/cms/envs/production.py
+++ b/cms/envs/production.py
@@ -600,6 +600,9 @@ RETIREMENT_STATES = ENV_TOKENS.get('RETIREMENT_STATES', RETIREMENT_STATES)
 ############## Settings for Course Enrollment Modes ######################
 COURSE_ENROLLMENT_MODES = ENV_TOKENS.get('COURSE_ENROLLMENT_MODES', COURSE_ENROLLMENT_MODES)
 
+############### Settings for edx-rbac  ###############
+SYSTEM_WIDE_ROLE_CLASSES = ENV_TOKENS.get('SYSTEM_WIDE_ROLE_CLASSES') or SYSTEM_WIDE_ROLE_CLASSES
+
 ####################### Plugin Settings ##########################
 
 # This is at the bottom because it is going to load more settings after base settings are loaded
diff --git a/lms/envs/common.py b/lms/envs/common.py
index f19fa82660..31bbea13b8 100644
--- a/lms/envs/common.py
+++ b/lms/envs/common.py
@@ -3463,11 +3463,11 @@ FERNET_KEYS = [
 # Maximum number of rows to fetch in XBlockUserStateClient calls. Adjust for performance
 USER_STATE_BATCH_SIZE = 5000
 
+############### Settings for edx-rbac  ###############
+SYSTEM_WIDE_ROLE_CLASSES = []
+
 ############## Plugin Django Apps #########################
 
 from openedx.core.djangoapps.plugins import plugin_apps, plugin_settings, constants as plugin_constants
 INSTALLED_APPS.extend(plugin_apps.get_apps(plugin_constants.ProjectType.LMS))
 plugin_settings.add_plugins(__name__, plugin_constants.ProjectType.LMS, plugin_constants.SettingsType.COMMON)
-
-############### Settings for edx-rbac  ###############
-SYSTEM_WIDE_ROLE_CLASSES = os.environ.get("SYSTEM_WIDE_ROLE_CLASSES", [])
diff --git a/lms/envs/production.py b/lms/envs/production.py
index 2679a6ec15..71d52d2bed 100644
--- a/lms/envs/production.py
+++ b/lms/envs/production.py
@@ -1100,6 +1100,9 @@ COURSE_ENROLLMENT_MODES = ENV_TOKENS.get('COURSE_ENROLLMENT_MODES', COURSE_ENROL
 WRITABLE_GRADEBOOK_URL = ENV_TOKENS.get('WRITABLE_GRADEBOOK_URL', WRITABLE_GRADEBOOK_URL)
 PROFILE_MICROFRONTEND_URL = ENV_TOKENS.get('PROFILE_MICROFRONTEND_URL', PROFILE_MICROFRONTEND_URL)
 
+############### Settings for edx-rbac  ###############
+SYSTEM_WIDE_ROLE_CLASSES = ENV_TOKENS.get('SYSTEM_WIDE_ROLE_CLASSES') or SYSTEM_WIDE_ROLE_CLASSES
+
 ############################### Plugin Settings ###############################
 
 # This is at the bottom because it is going to load more settings after base settings are loaded