diff --git a/.last-branch b/.last-branch
index 21015a3..712b150 100644
--- a/.last-branch
+++ b/.last-branch
@@ -1 +1 @@
-v20260115-09-autotask-customer-company-mapping
+v20260115-10-autotask-customers-settings-helper-fix
diff --git a/containers/backupchecks/src/backend/app/main/routes_customers.py b/containers/backupchecks/src/backend/app/main/routes_customers.py
index 9b01e06..aaf202f 100644
--- a/containers/backupchecks/src/backend/app/main/routes_customers.py
+++ b/containers/backupchecks/src/backend/app/main/routes_customers.py
@@ -1,12 +1,41 @@
 from .routes_shared import *  # noqa: F401,F403
 
+# Explicit imports for robustness across mixed deployments.
+from datetime import datetime
+
+from ..database import db
+from ..models import SystemSettings
+
+
+def _get_or_create_settings_local():
+    """Return SystemSettings, creating a default row if missing.
+
+    This module should not depend on star-imported helpers for settings.
+    Mixed deployments (partial container updates) can otherwise raise a
+    NameError on /customers when the shared helper is not present.
+    """
+
+    settings = SystemSettings.query.first()
+    if settings is None:
+        settings = SystemSettings(
+            auto_import_enabled=False,
+            auto_import_interval_minutes=15,
+            auto_import_max_items=50,
+            manual_import_batch_size=50,
+            auto_import_cutoff_date=datetime.utcnow().date(),
+            ingest_eml_retention_days=7,
+        )
+        db.session.add(settings)
+        db.session.commit()
+    return settings
+
 @main_bp.route("/customers")
 @login_required
 @roles_required("admin", "operator", "viewer")
 def customers():
     items = Customer.query.order_by(Customer.name.asc()).all()
 
-    settings = _get_or_create_settings()
+    settings = _get_or_create_settings_local()
     autotask_enabled = bool(getattr(settings, "autotask_enabled", False))
     autotask_configured = bool(
         (getattr(settings, "autotask_api_username", None))
@@ -51,7 +80,7 @@ def customers():
 
 def _get_autotask_client_or_raise():
     """Build an AutotaskClient from settings or raise a user-safe exception."""
-    settings = _get_or_create_settings()
+    settings = _get_or_create_settings_local()
     if not bool(getattr(settings, "autotask_enabled", False)):
         raise RuntimeError("Autotask integration is disabled.")
     if not settings.autotask_api_username or not settings.autotask_api_password or not settings.autotask_tracking_identifier:
diff --git a/docs/changelog.md b/docs/changelog.md
index 610ef1b..9e4b2d9 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.md
+++ b/docs/changelog.md
@@ -82,6 +82,14 @@ Changes:
 - Updated Customers UI to allow searching, selecting, refreshing, and clearing Autotask company mappings.
 - Ensured mappings remain stable when Autotask company names change and block future ticket actions when mappings are invalid.
 
+## v20260115-10-autotask-customers-settings-helper-fix
+
+- Fixed /customers crash caused by missing _get_or_create_settings by removing reliance on shared star-imported helpers.
+- Added a local SystemSettings get-or-create helper in customers routes to prevent runtime NameError in mixed/partial deployments.
+- Added explicit imports for SystemSettings, db, and datetime to keep the Customers page stable across versions.
+
+
+
 ***
 
 ## v0.1.21