diff --git a/core/server/helpers/get.js b/core/server/helpers/get.js
index 6d863c75ae..041ea91a87 100644
--- a/core/server/helpers/get.js
+++ b/core/server/helpers/get.js
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ var _               = require('lodash'),
     errors          = require('../errors'),
     api             = require('../api'),
     jsonpath        = require('jsonpath'),
+    labs            = require('../utils/labs'),
     resources,
     pathAliases,
     get;
@@ -140,4 +141,23 @@ get = function get(context, options) {
     });
 };
 
-module.exports = get;
+module.exports = function getWithLabs(context, options) {
+    var self = this,
+        errorMessages = [
+            'The {{get}} helper is not available.',
+            'Public API access must be enabled if you wish to use the {{get}} helper.',
+            'See http://support.ghost.org/public-api-beta'
+        ];
+
+    return labs.isSet('publicAPI').then(function (publicAPI) {
+        if (publicAPI === true) {
+            // get helper is  active
+            return get.call(self, context, options);
+        } else {
+            errors.logError.apply(this, errorMessages);
+            return Promise.resolve(function noGetHelper() {
+                return '<script>console.error("' + errorMessages.join(' ') + '");</script>';
+            });
+        }
+    });
+};
diff --git a/core/server/middleware/auth.js b/core/server/middleware/auth.js
index 79ff74826e..1878f3d669 100644
--- a/core/server/middleware/auth.js
+++ b/core/server/middleware/auth.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ var _           = require('lodash'),
     url         = require('url'),
     errors      = require('../errors'),
     config      = require('../config'),
-    api         = require('../api'),
+    labs        = require('../utils/labs'),
     oauthServer,
 
     auth;
@@ -133,17 +133,8 @@ auth = {
 
     // ### Require user depending on public API being activated.
     requiresAuthorizedUserPublicAPI: function requiresAuthorizedUserPublicAPI(req, res, next) {
-        return api.settings.read({key: 'labs', context: {internal: true}}).then(function (response) {
-            var labs,
-                labsValue;
-
-            labs = _.find(response.settings, function (setting) {
-                return setting.key === 'labs';
-            });
-
-            labsValue = JSON.parse(labs.value);
-
-            if (labsValue.publicAPI && labsValue.publicAPI === true) {
+        return labs.isSet('publicAPI').then(function (publicAPI) {
+            if (publicAPI === true) {
                 return next();
             } else {
                 if (req.user) {
diff --git a/core/server/utils/labs.js b/core/server/utils/labs.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3a0853b6d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/server/utils/labs.js
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+var _   = require('lodash'),
+    api = require('../api'),
+    flagIsSet;
+
+flagIsSet = function flagIsSet(flag) {
+    return api.settings.read({key: 'labs', context: {internal: true}}).then(function (response) {
+        var labs,
+            labsValue;
+
+        labs = _.find(response.settings, function (setting) {
+            return setting.key === 'labs';
+        });
+
+        labsValue = JSON.parse(labs.value);
+
+        return !!labsValue[flag] && labsValue[flag] === true;
+    });
+};
+
+module.exports.isSet = flagIsSet;
diff --git a/core/test/unit/server_helpers/get_spec.js b/core/test/unit/server_helpers/get_spec.js
index e45e73ed0d..36ec8ee918 100644
--- a/core/test/unit/server_helpers/get_spec.js
+++ b/core/test/unit/server_helpers/get_spec.js
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ var should         = require('should'),
     helpers        = require('../../../server/helpers'),
     api            = require('../../../server/api'),
 
+    labs           = require('../../../server/utils/labs'),
+
     sandbox = sinon.sandbox.create();
 
 describe('{{#get}} helper', function () {
@@ -23,6 +25,7 @@ describe('{{#get}} helper', function () {
     beforeEach(function () {
         fn = sandbox.spy();
         inverse = sandbox.spy();
+        sandbox.stub(labs, 'isSet').returns(new Promise.resolve(true));
     });
 
     afterEach(function () {