diff --git a/awx/settings/defaults.py b/awx/settings/defaults.py
index 39bbce6520..a0220d7f9e 100644
--- a/awx/settings/defaults.py
+++ b/awx/settings/defaults.py
@@ -496,11 +496,7 @@ CELERYBEAT_SCHEDULE = {
         'schedule': timedelta(seconds=20),
         'options': {'expires': 20}
     },
-    'isolated_heartbeat': {
-        'task': 'awx.main.tasks.awx_isolated_heartbeat',
-        'schedule': timedelta(seconds=AWX_ISOLATED_PERIODIC_CHECK),
-        'options': {'expires': AWX_ISOLATED_PERIODIC_CHECK * 2},
-    }
+    # 'isolated_heartbeat': set up at the end of production.py and development.py
 }
 AWX_INCONSISTENT_TASK_INTERVAL = 60 * 3
 
diff --git a/awx/settings/development.py b/awx/settings/development.py
index 21a7952251..7c02d3f929 100644
--- a/awx/settings/development.py
+++ b/awx/settings/development.py
@@ -143,6 +143,15 @@ except ImportError:
     traceback.print_exc()
     sys.exit(1)
 
+
+CELERYBEAT_SCHEDULE.update({  # noqa
+    'isolated_heartbeat': {
+        'task': 'awx.main.tasks.awx_isolated_heartbeat',
+        'schedule': timedelta(seconds=AWX_ISOLATED_PERIODIC_CHECK),  # noqa
+        'options': {'expires': AWX_ISOLATED_PERIODIC_CHECK * 2},  # noqa
+    }
+})
+
 CLUSTER_HOST_ID = socket.gethostname()
 
 try:
diff --git a/awx/settings/production.py b/awx/settings/production.py
index 7c114f99eb..ea611d7438 100644
--- a/awx/settings/production.py
+++ b/awx/settings/production.py
@@ -107,3 +107,12 @@ except IOError:
             raise ImproperlyConfigured(msg)
     else:
         raise
+
+
+CELERYBEAT_SCHEDULE.update({  # noqa
+    'isolated_heartbeat': {
+        'task': 'awx.main.tasks.awx_isolated_heartbeat',
+        'schedule': timedelta(seconds=AWX_ISOLATED_PERIODIC_CHECK),  # noqa
+        'options': {'expires': AWX_ISOLATED_PERIODIC_CHECK * 2},  # noqa
+    }
+})