diff --git a/test/chplcheck/RuleSettings/RuleSettings.1.good b/test/chplcheck/RuleSettings/RuleSettings.1.good
index b06c3f49a450..845e0ae17960 100644
--- a/test/chplcheck/RuleSettings/RuleSettings.1.good
+++ b/test/chplcheck/RuleSettings/RuleSettings.1.good
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-In One: Local=None, Global='default'
-In Two: Local=None, Global='different default'
+In One: Local=None, Global=None
+In Two: Local=None, Global=None
diff --git a/test/chplcheck/RuleSettings/RuleSettings.2.good b/test/chplcheck/RuleSettings/RuleSettings.2.good
index 270f4e537b70..ca929f196f73 100644
--- a/test/chplcheck/RuleSettings/RuleSettings.2.good
+++ b/test/chplcheck/RuleSettings/RuleSettings.2.good
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-In One: Local='x', Global='default'
-In Two: Local=None, Global='different default'
+In One: Local='x', Global=None
+In Two: Local=None, Global=None
diff --git a/test/chplcheck/RuleSettings/RuleSettings.3.good b/test/chplcheck/RuleSettings/RuleSettings.3.good
index 2cd141cf89bf..e1c3f99aa98c 100644
--- a/test/chplcheck/RuleSettings/RuleSettings.3.good
+++ b/test/chplcheck/RuleSettings/RuleSettings.3.good
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-In One: Local=None, Global='default'
-In Two: Local='y', Global='different default'
+In One: Local=None, Global=None
+In Two: Local='y', Global=None
diff --git a/test/chplcheck/RuleSettings/RuleSettings.8.good b/test/chplcheck/RuleSettings/RuleSettings.8.good
index ca29340a076b..dce8a660d4f2 100644
--- a/test/chplcheck/RuleSettings/RuleSettings.8.good
+++ b/test/chplcheck/RuleSettings/RuleSettings.8.good
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-In One: Local='y', Global='default'
-In Two: Local=None, Global='different default'
+In One: Local='y', Global=None
+In Two: Local=None, Global=None
diff --git a/test/chplcheck/RuleSettings/rules.py b/test/chplcheck/RuleSettings/rules.py
index 4fa0f0df420f..7fbf7b2b308d 100644
--- a/test/chplcheck/RuleSettings/rules.py
+++ b/test/chplcheck/RuleSettings/rules.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
-
 from chapel import AstNode
 from typing import Optional
 
+
 def var_string(**kwargs):
     s = []
     for k, v in kwargs.items():
@@ -9,17 +9,15 @@ def var_string(**kwargs):
         s.append(f"{k}={val}")
     return ", ".join(s)
 
+
 def rules(driver):
 
     @driver.basic_rule(AstNode, settings=[".Local", "Global"])
-    def One(context, node, Local: Optional[str]=None, Global: str="default"):
-
+    def One(c, n, Local: Optional[str] = None, Global: Optional[str] = None):
         print(f"In One:", var_string(Local=Local, Global=Global))
         return True
 
     @driver.advanced_rule(settings=[".Local", "Global"])
-    def Two(context, node, Local: Optional[str]=None, Global: str="different default"):
-
+    def Two(c, n, Local: Optional[str] = None, Global: Optional[str] = None):
         print(f"In Two:", var_string(Local=Local, Global=Global))
         yield from []
-
diff --git a/tools/chplcheck/src/rule_types.py b/tools/chplcheck/src/rule_types.py
index e405d37a78e7..f2f601439a2b 100644
--- a/tools/chplcheck/src/rule_types.py
+++ b/tools/chplcheck/src/rule_types.py
@@ -207,6 +207,8 @@ def get_settings_kwargs(self):
         # either they have no specific rule name, or they match this rule
         setting_kwargs = {}
         for setting in self.settings:
+            # default to None if the setting is not in the driver's settings
+            setting_kwargs[setting.setting_name] = None
             # if setting is in the driver's settings, use that value
             # otherwise, use the default value (ie pass nothing in the kwargs)
             driver_setting = self.driver.config.rule_settings.get(setting)