Index: /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/classes/clusters/generic.py
===================================================================
--- /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/classes/clusters/generic.py	(revision 24588)
+++ /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/classes/clusters/generic.py	(revision 24589)
@@ -40,11 +40,15 @@
 
         #initialize cluster using user settings if provided
-        if os.path.exists(self.name + '_settings.py'):
-            exec(compile(open(self.name + '_settings.py').read(), self.name + '_settings.py', 'exec'), globals())
+        try:
+            self = generic_settings(self)
+        except NameError:
+            print("generic_settings.py not found, using default settings")
+        else:
+            raise
+
 
         #OK get other fields
         self = options.AssignObjectFields(self)
     # }}}
-
     def __repr__(self):  # {{{
         #  display the object
@@ -61,5 +65,4 @@
         return s
     # }}}
-
     def checkconsistency(self, md, solution, analyses):  # {{{
         if self.np < 1:
@@ -135,5 +138,4 @@
             fid.close()
     # }}}
-
     def BuildKrigingQueueScript(self, modelname, solution, io_gather, isvalgrind, isgprof):  # {{{
         #write queuing script
@@ -173,5 +175,4 @@
             fid.close()
     # }}}
-
     def UploadQueueJob(self, modelname, dirname, filelist):  # {{{
         #compress the files into one zip.
@@ -187,5 +188,4 @@
 
     # }}}
-
     def LaunchQueueJob(self, modelname, dirname, filelist, restart, batch):  # {{{
         print('launching solution sequence on remote cluster')
@@ -199,5 +199,4 @@
         issmssh(self.name, self.login, self.port, launchcommand)
     # }}}
-
     def Download(self, dirname, filelist):  # {{{
         if m.ispc():
Index: /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/classes/clusters/pfe.py
===================================================================
--- /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/classes/clusters/pfe.py	(revision 24588)
+++ /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/classes/clusters/pfe.py	(revision 24589)
@@ -46,4 +46,5 @@
         self = pfe_settings(self)
         self.np = self.nprocs()
+
         #OK get other fields
         self = options.AssignObjectFields(self)