--- python-django-1.2.3.orig/django/utils/formats.py
+++ python-django-1.2.3/django/utils/formats.py
@@ -7,6 +7,25 @@ from django.utils.importlib import impor
 from django.utils.encoding import smart_str
 from django.utils import dateformat, numberformat, datetime_safe
 
+
+FORMAT_SETTINGS = frozenset([
+    'DECIMAL_SEPARATOR',
+    'THOUSAND_SEPARATOR',
+    'NUMBER_GROUPING',
+    'FIRST_DAY_OF_WEEK',
+    'MONTH_DAY_FORMAT',
+    'TIME_FORMAT',
+    'DATE_FORMAT',
+    'DATETIME_FORMAT',
+    'SHORT_DATE_FORMAT',
+    'SHORT_DATETIME_FORMAT',
+    'YEAR_MONTH_FORMAT',
+    'DATE_INPUT_FORMATS',
+    'TIME_INPUT_FORMATS',
+    'DATETIME_INPUT_FORMATS',
+])
+
+
 def get_format_modules(reverse=False):
     """
     Returns an iterator over the format modules found in the project and Django
@@ -41,6 +60,8 @@ def get_format(format_type):
     format_type is the name of the format, e.g. 'DATE_FORMAT'
     """
     format_type = smart_str(format_type)
+    if format_type not in FORMAT_SETTINGS:
+        return format_type
     if settings.USE_L10N:
         for module in get_format_modules():
             try:
--- python-django-1.2.3.orig/tests/regressiontests/i18n/tests.py
+++ python-django-1.2.3/tests/regressiontests/i18n/tests.py
@@ -421,6 +421,10 @@ class FormattingTests(TestCase):
         finally:
             deactivate()
 
+    def test_format_arbitrary_settings(self):
+        self.assertEqual(get_format('DEBUG'), 'DEBUG')
+
+
 class MiscTests(TestCase):
 
     def test_parse_spec_http_header(self):