diff --git a/evennia/game_template/server/conf/settings.py b/evennia/game_template/server/conf/settings.py
index d149c577d..3d7d0680e 100644
--- a/evennia/game_template/server/conf/settings.py
+++ b/evennia/game_template/server/conf/settings.py
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ SERVERNAME = {servername}
 
 # Path to the game directory (use EVENNIA_DIR to refer to the
 # core evennia library)
-GAME_DIR = {game_dir}
+GAME_DIR = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))))
 
 # Place to put log files
 LOG_DIR = os.path.join(GAME_DIR, "server", "logs")
diff --git a/evennia/server/evennia_launcher.py b/evennia/server/evennia_launcher.py
index 4324718a5..9eb349d6c 100644
--- a/evennia/server/evennia_launcher.py
+++ b/evennia/server/evennia_launcher.py
@@ -416,7 +416,6 @@ def create_settings_file():
     # tweak the settings
     setting_dict = {"settings_default": os.path.join(EVENNIA_LIB, "settings_default.py"),
                     "servername":"\"%s\"" % GAMEDIR.rsplit(os.path.sep, 1)[1].capitalize(),
-                    "game_dir":"\"%s\"" % GAMEDIR,
                     "secret_key":"\'%s\'" % create_secret_key()}
 
     # modify the settings