diff --git a/lbry/lbry/conf.py b/lbry/lbry/conf.py
index 2ccc78a27..8b3a92692 100644
--- a/lbry/lbry/conf.py
+++ b/lbry/lbry/conf.py
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ class MaxKeyFee(Setting[dict]):
 
     @staticmethod
     def _parse_list(l):
-        if len(l) == 1 and l[0] == 'null':
+        if l == ['null']:
             return None
         assert len(l) == 2, (
             'Max key fee is made up of either two values: '
diff --git a/lbry/tests/unit/test_conf.py b/lbry/tests/unit/test_conf.py
index 3ec10701e..957658551 100644
--- a/lbry/tests/unit/test_conf.py
+++ b/lbry/tests/unit/test_conf.py
@@ -207,11 +207,6 @@ class ConfigurationTests(unittest.TestCase):
                 c.max_key_fee = None
             with open(config, 'r') as fd:
                 self.assertEqual(fd.read(), 'max_key_fee: null\n')
-            c = Config.create_from_arguments(
-                types.SimpleNamespace(config=config)
-            )
-            with open(config, 'r') as fd:
-                self.assertEqual(c.max_key_fee, None)
 
     def test_max_key_fee_from_args(self):
         parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()