diff --git a/modules/field/field.attach.inc b/modules/field/field.attach.inc
index c643e401662872e6d90e7a04a64fa8b3e0b1cdfd..3f5520a57f5d05ba45c28934d8c5849522edb501 100644
--- a/modules/field/field.attach.inc
+++ b/modules/field/field.attach.inc
@@ -1309,12 +1309,9 @@ function field_attach_rename_bundle($entity_type, $bundle_old, $bundle_new) {
   field_cache_clear();
 
   // Update bundle settings.
-  $settings = variable_get('field_bundle_settings', array());
-  if (isset($settings[$entity_type][$bundle_old])) {
-    $settings[$entity_type][$bundle_new] = $settings[$entity_type][$bundle_old];
-    unset($settings[$entity_type][$bundle_old]);
-    variable_set('field_bundle_settings', $settings);
-  }
+  $settings = variable_get('field_bundle_settings_' . $entity_type . '__' . $bundle_old, array());
+  variable_set('field_bundle_settings_' . $entity_type . '__' . $bundle_new, $settings);
+  variable_del('field_bundle_settings_' . $entity_type . '__' . $bundle_old);
 
   // Let other modules act on renaming the bundle.
   module_invoke_all('field_attach_rename_bundle', $entity_type, $bundle_old, $bundle_new);
@@ -1348,11 +1345,7 @@ function field_attach_delete_bundle($entity_type, $bundle) {
   field_cache_clear();
 
   // Clear bundle display settings.
-  $settings = variable_get('field_bundle_settings', array());
-  if (isset($settings[$entity_type][$bundle])) {
-    unset($settings[$entity_type][$bundle]);
-    variable_set('field_bundle_settings', $settings);
-  }
+  variable_del('field_bundle_settings_' . $entity_type . '__' . $bundle);
 
   // Let other modules act on deleting the bundle.
   module_invoke_all('field_attach_delete_bundle', $entity_type, $bundle, $instances);
diff --git a/modules/field/field.module b/modules/field/field.module
index f04c39c0cab95cf1205c4deacb77f05af85e166d..0a9d5e40ace30478183bc332908c3f2fa48c50eb 100644
--- a/modules/field/field.module
+++ b/modules/field/field.module
@@ -610,16 +610,12 @@ function _field_sort_items_value_helper($a, $b) {
  *   If no $settings are passed, the current settings are returned.
  */
 function field_bundle_settings($entity_type, $bundle, $settings = NULL) {
-  $stored_settings = variable_get('field_bundle_settings', array());
-
   if (isset($settings)) {
-    $stored_settings[$entity_type][$bundle] = $settings;
-
-    variable_set('field_bundle_settings', $stored_settings);
+    variable_set('field_bundle_settings_' . $entity_type . '__' . $bundle, $settings);
     field_info_cache_clear();
   }
   else {
-    $settings = isset($stored_settings[$entity_type][$bundle]) ? $stored_settings[$entity_type][$bundle] : array();
+    $settings = variable_get('field_bundle_settings_' . $entity_type . '__' . $bundle, array());
     $settings += array(
       'view_modes' => array(),
       'extra_fields' => array(),