diff --git a/AUTHORS b/AUTHORS
index 35ad3b7ef3..d78dabbb4b 100644
--- a/AUTHORS
+++ b/AUTHORS
@@ -235,6 +235,7 @@ answer newbie questions, and generally made Django that much better:
     Joe Topjian <http://joe.terrarum.net/geek/code/python/django/>
     torne-django@wolfpuppy.org.uk
     Karen Tracey <graybark@bellsouth.net>
+    tstromberg@google.com
     Makoto Tsuyuki <mtsuyuki@gmail.com>
     tt@gurgle.no
     Amit Upadhyay
diff --git a/django/core/management.py b/django/core/management.py
index 816b51352e..e617bd2136 100644
--- a/django/core/management.py
+++ b/django/core/management.py
@@ -832,9 +832,15 @@ def startproject(project_name, directory):
         sys.stderr.write(style.ERROR("Error: '%r' conflicts with the name of an existing Python module and cannot be used as a project name. Please try another name.\n" % project_name))
         sys.exit(1)
     _start_helper('project', project_name, directory)
+
     # Create a random SECRET_KEY hash, and put it in the main settings.
     main_settings_file = os.path.join(directory, project_name, 'settings.py')
     settings_contents = open(main_settings_file, 'r').read()
+
+    # If settings.py was copied from a read-only source, make it writeable.
+    if not os.access(main_settings_file, os.W_OK):
+        os.chmod(main_settings_file, 0600)
+
     fp = open(main_settings_file, 'w')
     secret_key = ''.join([choice('abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789!@#$%^&*(-_=+)') for i in range(50)])
     settings_contents = re.sub(r"(?<=SECRET_KEY = ')'", secret_key + "'", settings_contents)