diff --git a/core/server/api/configuration.js b/core/server/api/configuration.js
index beaafc13f4..a3af1b2514 100644
--- a/core/server/api/configuration.js
+++ b/core/server/api/configuration.js
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ var Promise = require('bluebird'),
     urlService = require('../services/url'),
     models = require('../models'),
     config = require('../config'),
+    labs = require('../services/labs'),
     settingsCache = require('../services/settings/cache'),
     ghostVersion = require('../lib/ghost-version'),
     configuration;
@@ -26,7 +27,7 @@ function getAboutConfig() {
 function getBaseConfig() {
     return {
         useGravatar: !config.isPrivacyDisabled('useGravatar'),
-        publicAPI: config.get('publicAPI') === true,
+        publicAPI: labs.isSet('publicAPI'),
         blogUrl: urlService.utils.urlFor('home', true),
         blogTitle: settingsCache.get('title'),
         clientExtensions: config.get('clientExtensions'),
diff --git a/core/test/integration/api/api_configuration_spec.js b/core/test/integration/api/api_configuration_spec.js
index d82deec702..3aa46a2c14 100644
--- a/core/test/integration/api/api_configuration_spec.js
+++ b/core/test/integration/api/api_configuration_spec.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ var should = require('should'),
 describe('Configuration API', function () {
     // Keep the DB clean
     before(testUtils.teardown);
-    beforeEach(testUtils.setup('clients'));
+    beforeEach(testUtils.setup('clients', 'settings'));
     afterEach(function () {
         configUtils.restore();
         return testUtils.teardown();
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ describe('Configuration API', function () {
             props.blogUrl.should.eql('http://127.0.0.1:2369/');
 
             props.useGravatar.should.eql(false);
-            props.publicAPI.should.eql(false);
+            props.publicAPI.should.eql(true);
             props.clientId.should.eql('ghost-admin');
             props.clientSecret.should.eql('not_available');