diff --git a/src/config-manager.js b/src/config-manager.js
index b8cf5e6..0a8733c 100644
--- a/src/config-manager.js
+++ b/src/config-manager.js
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ let config = {};
  * @typedef {Object} DisabledFeatures
  * @property {boolean} redis true if redis is disabled
  * @property {boolean} email true if email sending is disabled
+ * @property {boolean} captcha true if captcha verification is disabled
  */
 
 /**
@@ -51,7 +52,8 @@ let config = {};
  */
 const disabledFeatures = {
 	redis: false,
-	email: false
+	email: false,
+	captcha: false
 };
 
 const requiredFields = [
@@ -60,7 +62,6 @@ const requiredFields = [
 	['mongoose.database', 'PN_ACT_CONFIG_MONGO_DB_NAME'],
 	['aws.spaces.key', 'PN_ACT_CONFIG_S3_ACCESS_KEY'],
 	['aws.spaces.secret', 'PN_ACT_CONFIG_S3_ACCESS_SECRET'],
-	['hcaptcha.secret', 'PN_ACT_CONFIG_HCAPTCHA_SECRET'],
 	['cdn_base', 'PN_ACT_CONFIG_CDN_BASE'],
 	['website_base', 'PN_ACT_CONFIG_WEBSITE_BASE'],
 ];
@@ -252,6 +253,21 @@ function configure() {
 		}
 	}
 
+	const captchaSecretConfigValue = get(config, 'hcaptcha.secret');
+	const captchaSecretEnvValue = get(process.env, 'PN_ACT_CONFIG_HCAPTCHA_SECRET');
+
+	if (!captchaSecretConfigValue || captchaSecretConfigValue.trim() === '') {
+		if (!captchaSecretEnvValue || captchaSecretEnvValue.trim() === '') {
+			logger.warn('Failed to find captcha secret config. Disabling feature');
+
+			disabledFeatures.email = true;
+		} else {
+			logger.info('hcaptcha.secret not found in config, using environment variable PN_ACT_CONFIG_HCAPTCHA_SECRET');
+
+			set(config, 'hcaptcha.secret', emailFromEnvValue);
+		}
+	}
+
 	module.exports.config = config;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/services/api/routes/v1/register.js b/src/services/api/routes/v1/register.js
index f2bfa06..729bc41 100644
--- a/src/services/api/routes/v1/register.js
+++ b/src/services/api/routes/v1/register.js
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ const database = require('../../../../database');
 const cache = require('../../../../cache');
 const util = require('../../../../util');
 const logger = require('../../../../../logger');
-const { config } = require('../../../../config-manager');
+const { config, disabledFeatures } = require('../../../../config-manager');
 
 const PNID_VALID_CHARACTERS_REGEX = /^[\w\-\.]*$/gm;
 const PNID_PUNCTUATION_START_REGEX = /^[\_\-\.]/gm;
@@ -42,22 +42,24 @@ router.post('/', async (request, response) => {
 	const passwordConfirm = body.password_confirm?.trim();
 	const hCaptchaResponse = body.hCaptchaResponse?.trim();
 
-	if (!hCaptchaResponse || hCaptchaResponse === '') {
-		return response.status(400).json({
-			app: 'api',
-			status: 400,
-			error: 'Must fill in captcha'
-		});
-	}
+	if (!disabledFeatures.captcha) {
+		if (!hCaptchaResponse || hCaptchaResponse === '') {
+			return response.status(400).json({
+				app: 'api',
+				status: 400,
+				error: 'Must fill in captcha'
+			});
+		}
 
-	const captchaVerify = await hcaptcha.verify(config.hcaptcha.secret, hCaptchaResponse);
+		const captchaVerify = await hcaptcha.verify(config.hcaptcha.secret, hCaptchaResponse);
 
-	if (!captchaVerify.success) {
-		return response.status(400).json({
-			app: 'api',
-			status: 400,
-			error: 'Captcha verification failed'
-		});
+		if (!captchaVerify.success) {
+			return response.status(400).json({
+				app: 'api',
+				status: 400,
+				error: 'Captcha verification failed'
+			});
+		}
 	}
 
 	if (!email || email === '') {