Index: modules/field_ui/field_ui.admin.inc
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvs/drupal/drupal/modules/field_ui/field_ui.admin.inc,v
retrieving revision 1.70
diff -u -p -r1.70 field_ui.admin.inc
--- modules/field_ui/field_ui.admin.inc	29 Sep 2010 02:01:34 -0000	1.70
+++ modules/field_ui/field_ui.admin.inc	30 Sep 2010 04:18:46 -0000
@@ -1444,13 +1444,6 @@ function field_ui_field_settings_form($f
     '#tree' => TRUE,
   );
 
-  // See if data already exists for this field.
-  // If so, prevent changes to the field settings.
-  $has_data = field_has_data($field);
-  if ($has_data) {
-    $form['field']['#description'] = '<div class=error>' . t('There is data for this field in the database. The field settings can no longer be changed.' . '</div>') . $form['field']['#description'];
-  }
-
   // Build the non-configurable field values.
   $form['field']['field_name'] = array('#type' => 'value', '#value' => $field['field_name']);
   $form['field']['type'] = array('#type' => 'value', '#value' => $field['type']);
@@ -1461,7 +1454,7 @@ function field_ui_field_settings_form($f
   // responsible for not returning settings that cannot be changed if
   // the field already has data.
   $form['field']['settings'] = array();
-  $additions = module_invoke($field['module'], 'field_settings_form', $field, $instance, $has_data);
+  $additions = module_invoke($field['module'], 'field_settings_form', $field, $instance, field_has_data($field));
   if (is_array($additions)) {
     $form['field']['settings'] = $additions;
   }