diff --git a/Gemfile b/Gemfile
index 48df8b2d7..1245d3ba1 100644
--- a/Gemfile
+++ b/Gemfile
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ gem 'sass-rails', '~> 5.0'
 gem 'bootstrap_form'
 gem 'yomu'
 gem 'font-awesome-rails', '~> 4.6'
+gem 'recaptcha', require: 'recaptcha/rails'
 
 # JS datetime library, requirement of datetime picker
 gem 'momentjs-rails', '>= 2.9.0'
diff --git a/app/controllers/users/registrations_controller.rb b/app/controllers/users/registrations_controller.rb
index 950ecfd44..ba1c2ce95 100644
--- a/app/controllers/users/registrations_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/users/registrations_controller.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 class Users::RegistrationsController < Devise::RegistrationsController
   before_action :load_paperclip_vars
+  prepend_before_action :check_captcha, only: [:create]
 
   def avatar
     user = User.find_by_id(params[:id]) || current_user
@@ -253,6 +254,15 @@ class Users::RegistrationsController < Devise::RegistrationsController
 
   private
 
+  def check_captcha
+    if Rails.configuration.x.enable_recaptcha
+      unless verify_recaptcha
+        self.resource = resource_class.new sign_up_params
+        respond_with_navigational(resource) { render :new }
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
   # Redirect to login page after signing up
   def after_sign_up_path_for(resource)
     new_user_session_path
diff --git a/app/views/users/registrations/new.html.erb b/app/views/users/registrations/new.html.erb
index 563d7362b..cdc6117b9 100644
--- a/app/views/users/registrations/new.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/users/registrations/new.html.erb
@@ -38,6 +38,13 @@
       <span><small><%= t 'users.registrations.new.team_name_help' %></small></span>
     </div>
 
+    <% if Rails.configuration.x.enable_recaptcha %>
+      <div class="form-group">
+        <%= recaptcha_tags %>
+        <%= flash[:recaptcha_error] %>
+      </div>
+    <% end %>
+
     <div class="form-group">
       <%= f.submit "Sign up", class: "btn btn-primary" %>
     </div>
diff --git a/config/environments/development.rb b/config/environments/development.rb
index a1cc7d013..1b3e2454f 100644
--- a/config/environments/development.rb
+++ b/config/environments/development.rb
@@ -68,4 +68,7 @@ Rails.application.configure do
   # Enable first-time tutorial for users signing in the sciNote for
   # the first time.
   config.x.enable_tutorial = ENV["ENABLE_TUTORIAL"] == "true"
+
+  # Enable reCAPTCHA
+  config.x.enable_recaptcha = ENV["ENABLE_RECAPTCHA"] == "true"
 end
diff --git a/config/environments/production.rb b/config/environments/production.rb
index 6fafc23c8..06ddae208 100644
--- a/config/environments/production.rb
+++ b/config/environments/production.rb
@@ -101,4 +101,7 @@ Rails.application.configure do
   # Enable first-time tutorial for users signing in the sciNote for
   # the first time.
   config.x.enable_tutorial = ENV["ENABLE_TUTORIAL"] != "false"
+
+  # Enable reCAPTCHA
+  config.x.enable_recaptcha = ENV["ENABLE_RECAPTCHA"] == "true"
 end
diff --git a/config/environments/test.rb b/config/environments/test.rb
index c3a380d8c..8d974dc89 100644
--- a/config/environments/test.rb
+++ b/config/environments/test.rb
@@ -68,4 +68,7 @@ Rails.application.configure do
   # Enable first-time tutorial for users signing in the sciNote for
   # the first time.
   config.x.enable_tutorial = false
+
+  # Enable reCAPTCHA
+  config.x.enable_recaptcha = true
 end