diff --git a/auth/email/auth.php b/auth/email/auth.php
index 3f037d73129..970a16f9458 100644
--- a/auth/email/auth.php
+++ b/auth/email/auth.php
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ class auth_plugin_email extends auth_plugin_base {
      */
     function is_captcha_enabled() {
         global $CFG;
-        return isset($CFG->recaptchapublickey) && isset($CFG->recaptchaprivatekey) && get_config("auth/{$this->authtype}", 'recaptcha');
+        return $this->config->recaptcha;
     }
 
 }
diff --git a/login/signup_form.php b/login/signup_form.php
index 281c76dd1d7..2d43f70fd54 100644
--- a/login/signup_form.php
+++ b/login/signup_form.php
@@ -192,7 +192,8 @@ class login_signup_form extends moodleform {
      */
     function signup_captcha_enabled() {
         global $CFG;
-        return !empty($CFG->recaptchapublickey) && !empty($CFG->recaptchaprivatekey) && get_config('auth/email', 'recaptcha');
+        $authplugin = get_auth_plugin($CFG->registerauth);
+        return !empty($CFG->recaptchapublickey) && !empty($CFG->recaptchaprivatekey) && $authplugin->is_captcha_enabled();
     }
 
 }