diff --git a/hypha/settings/base.py b/hypha/settings/base.py
index ea1597897aeadd6be74b1ee8ea7758571dc3708d..754f00e8e5910c601b5904fc103f29d34aee6591 100644
--- a/hypha/settings/base.py
+++ b/hypha/settings/base.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ ALLOWED_HOSTS = env.list('ALLOWED_HOSTS', [])
 ORG_LONG_NAME = env.str('ORG_LONG_NAME', 'Acme Corporation')
 ORG_SHORT_NAME = env.str('ORG_SHORT_NAME', 'ACME')
 ORG_EMAIL = env.str('ORG_EMAIL', 'info@example.org')
-ORG_GUIDE_URL = env.url('ORG_GUIDE_URL', 'https://guide.example.org/')
+ORG_GUIDE_URL = env.str('ORG_GUIDE_URL', 'https://guide.example.org/')
 
 
 # Email settings
@@ -504,7 +504,7 @@ if not SEND_MESSAGES:
 
 SEND_READY_FOR_REVIEW = env.bool('SEND_READY_FOR_REVIEW', True)
 
-SLACK_DESTINATION_URL = env.url('SLACK_DESTINATION_URL', None)
+SLACK_DESTINATION_URL = env.str('SLACK_DESTINATION_URL', None)
 SLACK_DESTINATION_ROOM = env.str('SLACK_DESTINATION_ROOM', None)
 SLACK_DESTINATION_ROOM_COMMENTS = env.str('SLACK_DESTINATION_ROOM_COMMENTS', None)
 SLACK_TYPE_COMMENTS = env.list('SLACK_TYPE_COMMENTS', [])
diff --git a/hypha/settings/production.py b/hypha/settings/production.py
index bb6ad309939cde922af1ccd65a6bba477f840c3a..2926cccdef4e87a72d6ba5571675d1910173b296 100644
--- a/hypha/settings/production.py
+++ b/hypha/settings/production.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ if env.str('MAILGUN_API_KEY', None):
     ANYMAIL = {
         'MAILGUN_API_KEY': env.str('MAILGUN_API_KEY'),
         'MAILGUN_SENDER_DOMAIN': env.str('EMAIL_HOST', None),
-        'MAILGUN_API_URL': env.url('MAILGUN_API_URL', 'https://api.mailgun.net/v3'),
+        'MAILGUN_API_URL': env.str('MAILGUN_API_URL', 'https://api.mailgun.net/v3'),
         'WEBHOOK_SECRET': env.str('ANYMAIL_WEBHOOK_SECRET', None)
     }