diff --git a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/tasks.py b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/tasks.py
index 863863238036..3c5f60ca7c82 100644
--- a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/tasks.py
+++ b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/tasks.py
@@ -455,8 +455,8 @@ def sync_discussion_settings(course_key, user):
 
         if (
             ENABLE_NEW_STRUCTURE_DISCUSSIONS.is_enabled()
-            and not course.discussions_settings['provider_type'] == Provider.OPEN_EDX
-            and not course.discussions_settings['provider'] == Provider.OPEN_EDX
+            and not course.discussions_settings.get('provider_type', None) == Provider.OPEN_EDX
+            and not course.discussions_settings.get('provider', None) == Provider.OPEN_EDX
         ):
             LOGGER.info(f"New structure is enabled, also updating {course_key} to use new provider")
             course.discussions_settings['enable_graded_units'] = False
diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/discussions/tasks.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/discussions/tasks.py
index 27682246a017..4b08112f8266 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/discussions/tasks.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/discussions/tasks.py
@@ -196,6 +196,10 @@ def update_unit_discussion_state_from_discussion_blocks(course_key: CourseKey, u
     """
     store = modulestore()
     course = store.get_course(course_key)
+    # The provider information has been written to both `provider_type` and `provider`.
+    # Both of these serve the same purpose and this is an accident of early development.
+    # The `provider_type` key is now treated as read-only to allow existing values
+    # to be respected while moving to the `provider` key in the future.
     provider = course.discussions_settings.get(
         'provider_type',
         course.discussions_settings.get('provider', None),