diff --git a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/tasks.py b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/tasks.py
index 9a0b04d24377..fe8597db733f 100644
--- a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/tasks.py
+++ b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/tasks.py
@@ -473,12 +473,12 @@ 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.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
             course.discussions_settings['unit_level_visibility'] = True
-            course.discussions_settings['provider'] = Provider.OPEN_EDX
             course.discussions_settings['provider_type'] = Provider.OPEN_EDX
             modulestore().update_item(course, user.id)
 
diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/discussions/tasks.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/discussions/tasks.py
index 50a46065fede..9fece99f03d5 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/discussions/tasks.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/discussions/tasks.py
@@ -201,7 +201,14 @@ def update_unit_discussion_state_from_discussion_blocks(
     """
     store = modulestore()
     course = store.get_course(course_key)
-    provider = course.discussions_settings.get('provider', None)
+    # 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),
+    )
     # Only migrate to the new discussion provider if the current provider is the legacy provider.
     log.info(f"Current provider for {course_key} is {provider}")
     if provider is not None and provider != Provider.LEGACY and not force: