diff --git a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/config.ts b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/config.ts
index bafc93bb5..dd2e813d3 100644
--- a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/config.ts
+++ b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/config.ts
@@ -649,10 +649,7 @@ export function isCodespacesTemplate() {
 
 const DATABASE_DOWNLOAD_SETTING = new Setting("databaseDownload", ROOT_SETTING);
 
-export const ALLOW_HTTP_SETTING = new Setting(
-  "allowHttp",
-  DATABASE_DOWNLOAD_SETTING,
-);
+const ALLOW_HTTP_SETTING = new Setting("allowHttp", DATABASE_DOWNLOAD_SETTING);
 
 export function allowHttp(): boolean {
   return ALLOW_HTTP_SETTING.getValue<boolean>() || false;
diff --git a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/databases/database-fetcher.ts b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/databases/database-fetcher.ts
index 51a9541dd..2d08ab987 100644
--- a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/databases/database-fetcher.ts
+++ b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/databases/database-fetcher.ts
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ import {
 } from "../common/github-url-identifier-helper";
 import { Credentials } from "../common/authentication";
 import { AppCommandManager } from "../common/commands";
-import { ALLOW_HTTP_SETTING } from "../config";
+import { allowHttp } from "../config";
 import { showAndLogInformationMessage } from "../common/logging";
 
 /**
@@ -371,7 +371,7 @@ function validateUrl(databaseUrl: string) {
     throw new Error(`Invalid url: ${databaseUrl}`);
   }
 
-  if (!ALLOW_HTTP_SETTING.getValue() && uri.scheme !== "https") {
+  if (!allowHttp() && uri.scheme !== "https") {
     throw new Error("Must use https for downloading a database.");
   }
 }