diff --git a/bugsink/app_settings.py b/bugsink/app_settings.py
index cf66598..a3c9eb4 100644
--- a/bugsink/app_settings.py
+++ b/bugsink/app_settings.py
@@ -70,9 +70,15 @@ class AttrLikeDict(dict):
         return item in self
 
     def __getattr__(self, item):
-        if item not in self:
-            raise AttributeError(item)
-        return self[item]
+        # attribute errors are to be understood at the call site; as they are for regular object's missing attributes.
+        __tracebackhide__ = True
+
+        try:
+            return self[item]
+        except KeyError:
+            # "from None": this is so directly caused by the KeyError that cause and effect are the same and cause must
+            # be hidden.
+            raise AttributeError(item) from None
 
 
 _settings = None
diff --git a/snappea/settings.py b/snappea/settings.py
index 03b7a4a..57fa9a1 100644
--- a/snappea/settings.py
+++ b/snappea/settings.py
@@ -36,8 +36,19 @@ DEFAULTS = {
 
 
 class AttrLikeDict(dict):
+    def __hasattr__(self, item):
+        return item in self
+
     def __getattr__(self, item):
-        return self[item]
+        # attribute errors are to be understood at the call site; as they are for regular object's missing attributes.
+        __tracebackhide__ = True
+
+        try:
+            return self[item]
+        except KeyError:
+            # "from None": this is so directly caused by the KeyError that cause and effect are the same and cause must
+            # be hidden.
+            raise AttributeError(item) from None
 
 
 _settings = None