diff --git a/CHANGES.rst b/CHANGES.rst
index 37748df2f..b9e794ef5 100644
--- a/CHANGES.rst
+++ b/CHANGES.rst
@@ -2,6 +2,11 @@
 Changes
 =======
 
+Unreleased
+==========
+* ``THUMBNAIL_STORAGE`` should now be an alias in the Django ``STORAGES`` setting.
+  The old way of specifying a dotted path to a Storage module is still supported.
+
 12.11.0
 =======
 * Deprecated ``THUMBNAIL_KVSTORE``. Only the Django cache-based store will be
diff --git a/docs/reference/settings.rst b/docs/reference/settings.rst
index 3988f6ad2..14b26da1e 100644
--- a/docs/reference/settings.rst
+++ b/docs/reference/settings.rst
@@ -166,9 +166,11 @@ Only applicable for the convert Engine.
 ``THUMBNAIL_STORAGE``
 =====================
 
-- Default: ``settings.DEFAULT_FILE_STORAGE``
+- Default: ``default``
 
-The storage class to use for the generated thumbnails.
+The storage to use for the generated thumbnails, as an alias from the Django
+``STORAGES`` setting.
+Optionally accepts a path to a Storage subclass.
 
 
 ``THUMBNAIL_REDIS_URL``
diff --git a/sorl/thumbnail/conf/defaults.py b/sorl/thumbnail/conf/defaults.py
index 5618622ed..ab6e30f9c 100644
--- a/sorl/thumbnail/conf/defaults.py
+++ b/sorl/thumbnail/conf/defaults.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-from django.conf import settings
-
 # When True ThumbnailNode.render can raise errors
 THUMBNAIL_DEBUG = False
 
@@ -30,8 +28,8 @@
 THUMBNAIL_VIPSTHUMBNAIL = 'vipsthumbnail'
 THUMBNAIL_VIPSHEADER = 'vipsheader'
 
-# Storage for the generated thumbnails
-THUMBNAIL_STORAGE = settings.STORAGES['default']['BACKEND']
+# Storage for the generated thumbnails, as an alias of the Django STORAGES setting.
+THUMBNAIL_STORAGE = 'default'
 
 # Redis settings
 THUMBNAIL_REDIS_DB = 0
diff --git a/sorl/thumbnail/default.py b/sorl/thumbnail/default.py
index fbbccc40e..d3092fe36 100644
--- a/sorl/thumbnail/default.py
+++ b/sorl/thumbnail/default.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+from django.core.files.storage import storages
 from django.utils.functional import LazyObject
 
 from sorl.thumbnail.conf import settings
@@ -21,7 +22,10 @@ def _setup(self):
 
 class Storage(LazyObject):
     def _setup(self):
-        self._wrapped = get_module_class(settings.THUMBNAIL_STORAGE)()
+        if "." in settings.THUMBNAIL_STORAGE:
+            self._wrapped = get_module_class(settings.THUMBNAIL_STORAGE)()
+        else:
+            self._wrapped = storages[settings.THUMBNAIL_STORAGE]
 
 
 backend = Backend()
diff --git a/sorl/thumbnail/images.py b/sorl/thumbnail/images.py
index a656ec2b9..a3bac713f 100644
--- a/sorl/thumbnail/images.py
+++ b/sorl/thumbnail/images.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 from urllib.request import Request, urlopen
 
 from django.core.files.base import ContentFile, File
-from django.core.files.storage import Storage  # , default_storage
+from django.core.files.storage import Storage
 from django.utils.encoding import force_str
 from django.utils.functional import LazyObject, empty