diff --git a/notification/backends/base.py b/notification/backends/base.py
index 9c3a1142..b597abb4 100644
--- a/notification/backends/base.py
+++ b/notification/backends/base.py
@@ -57,12 +57,16 @@ def default_context(self):
         })
 
     def get_target_url(self, extra_context, sender, recipient):
-        target_url = extra_context['target'].url if 'target' in extra_context and hasattr(extra_context['target'],
-                                                                                          'url') else sender.get_absolute_url()
-        if 'target' in extra_context and recipient == extra_context['target']:
-            target_url = sender.get_absolute_url()
-        if 'pm_message' in extra_context:
-            target_url = extra_context['pm_message'].get_absolute_url()
+        target = getattr(extra_context, 'target', None)
+        target_url = getattr(target, 'url', None)
+        pm_message = getattr(extra_context, 'pm_message', None)
+
+        alternate_url_source = pm_message
+        if not target_url or target and recipient == target:
+            alternate_url_source = sender
+
+        if hasattr(alternate_url_source, 'get_absolute_url'):
+            target_url = alternate_url_source.get_absolute_url()
         if hasattr(target_url, '__call__'):
             target_url = target_url()
 
diff --git a/notification/backends/email.py b/notification/backends/email.py
index dc30ed75..d8af5993 100644
--- a/notification/backends/email.py
+++ b/notification/backends/email.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ def deliver(self, recipient, sender, notice_type, extra_context):
             "recipient": recipient,
             "sender": sender,
             "notice": ugettext(notice_type.past_tense),
-            'default_profile_photo': settings.DEFAULT_PROFILE_PHOTO,
+            'default_profile_photo': getattr(settings, 'DEFAULT_PROFILE_PHOTO', None),
             'target_url': target_url,
         })
         context.update(extra_context)
diff --git a/notification/backends/onsite.py b/notification/backends/onsite.py
index 648829b4..f25b6d6e 100644
--- a/notification/backends/onsite.py
+++ b/notification/backends/onsite.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ def deliver(self, recipient, sender, notice_type, extra_context):
             "recipient": recipient,
             "sender": sender,
             "notice": ugettext(notice_type.past_tense),
-            'default_profile_photo': settings.DEFAULT_PROFILE_PHOTO,
+            'default_profile_photo': getattr(settings, 'DEFAULT_PROFILE_PHOTO', None),
             'target_url': target_url,
         })
         context.update(extra_context)
diff --git a/notification/models.py b/notification/models.py
index d0d1a9be..1bc893b6 100644
--- a/notification/models.py
+++ b/notification/models.py
@@ -61,12 +61,14 @@ class Meta:
         verbose_name_plural = _("notice types")
 
     @classmethod
-    def create(cls, label, display, past_tense, description, default=2, verbosity=1):
+    def create(cls, label, display, description, past_tense=None, default=2, verbosity=1):
         """
         Creates a new NoticeType.
 
         This is intended to be used by other apps as a post_syncdb manangement step.
         """
+        if not past_tense:
+            past_tense = display
         try:
             notice_type = cls._default_manager.get(label=label)
             updated = False