diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index e03cb3874..49bd80673 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ class User < ApplicationRecord
   validates_presence_of :email, :if => lambda {|rec| rec.new_record? && Danbooru.config.enable_email_verification?}
   validates_presence_of :comment_threshold
   validate :validate_ip_addr_is_not_banned, :on => :create
-  validate :validate_sock_puppets, :on => :create
+  validate :validate_sock_puppets, :on => :create, :if => lambda { Danbooru.config.enable_sock_puppet_validation? }
   before_validation :normalize_blacklisted_tags
   before_validation :set_per_page
   before_validation :normalize_email
diff --git a/config/danbooru_default_config.rb b/config/danbooru_default_config.rb
index 71d9b1a2b..28ef8fa21 100644
--- a/config/danbooru_default_config.rb
+++ b/config/danbooru_default_config.rb
@@ -563,6 +563,11 @@ module Danbooru
       false
     end
 
+    # disable this for tests
+    def enable_sock_puppet_validation?
+      true
+    end
+
     # reportbooru options - see https://github.com/r888888888/reportbooru
     def reportbooru_server
     end
diff --git a/test/functional/users_controller_test.rb b/test/functional/users_controller_test.rb
index 7bb0412cb..f7aa9f292 100644
--- a/test/functional/users_controller_test.rb
+++ b/test/functional/users_controller_test.rb
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ class UsersControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
       end
 
       should "not allow registering multiple accounts with the same IP" do
-        User.any_instance.unstub(:validate_sock_puppets)
+        Danbooru.config.unstub(:enable_sock_puppet_validation?)
         request.env["REMOTE_ADDR"] = "1.2.3.4"
         CurrentUser.user = nil
 
diff --git a/test/models/dmail_filter_test.rb b/test/models/dmail_filter_test.rb
index 11aa17f6f..b2c17bb03 100644
--- a/test/models/dmail_filter_test.rb
+++ b/test/models/dmail_filter_test.rb
@@ -4,8 +4,6 @@ class DmailFilterTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
   def setup
     super
 
-    User.any_instance.stubs(:validate_sock_puppets).returns(true)
-
     @receiver = FactoryGirl.create(:user)
     @sender = FactoryGirl.create(:user)
   end
diff --git a/test/test_helper.rb b/test/test_helper.rb
index 55f612e9f..9b5338dca 100644
--- a/test/test_helper.rb
+++ b/test/test_helper.rb
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ class ActiveSupport::TestCase
     mock_popular_search_service!
     mock_missed_search_service!
     WebMock.allow_net_connect!
+    Danbooru.config.stubs(:enable_sock_puppet_validation?).returns(false)
   end
 
   teardown do
@@ -53,7 +54,7 @@ class ActionController::TestCase
 
   def setup
     super
-    User.any_instance.stubs(:validate_sock_puppets).returns(true)
+    Danbooru.config.stubs(:enable_sock_puppet_validation?).returns(false)
   end
 
   def teardown
diff --git a/test/unit/artist_test.rb b/test/unit/artist_test.rb
index 3ac48dae0..7a096a47e 100644
--- a/test/unit/artist_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/artist_test.rb
@@ -15,8 +15,6 @@ class ArtistTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
 
   context "An artist" do
     setup do
-      User.any_instance.stubs(:validate_sock_puppets).returns(true)
-
       user = Timecop.travel(1.month.ago) {FactoryGirl.create(:user)}
       CurrentUser.user = user
       CurrentUser.ip_addr = "127.0.0.1"
diff --git a/test/unit/artist_url_test.rb b/test/unit/artist_url_test.rb
index cbf26f834..fd7306f84 100644
--- a/test/unit/artist_url_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/artist_url_test.rb
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ require 'test_helper'
 class ArtistUrlTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
   context "An artist url" do
     setup do
-      User.any_instance.stubs(:validate_sock_puppets)
       CurrentUser.user = FactoryGirl.create(:user)
       CurrentUser.ip_addr = "127.0.0.1"
     end
diff --git a/test/unit/ban_test.rb b/test/unit/ban_test.rb
index 6a4aa0a86..4eba9b429 100644
--- a/test/unit/ban_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/ban_test.rb
@@ -1,11 +1,6 @@
 require 'test_helper'
 
 class BanTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
-  def setup
-    super
-    User.any_instance.stubs(:validate_sock_puppets).returns(true)
-  end
-
   context "A ban" do
     context "created by an admin" do
       setup do
diff --git a/test/unit/current_user_test.rb b/test/unit/current_user_test.rb
index f6862ec7d..fdd16c616 100644
--- a/test/unit/current_user_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/current_user_test.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ require 'test_helper'
 
 class CurrentUserTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
   setup do
-    User.any_instance.stubs(:validate_sock_puppets).returns(true)
     CurrentUser.user = nil
     CurrentUser.ip_addr = nil
   end
diff --git a/test/unit/dmail_test.rb b/test/unit/dmail_test.rb
index c37c8631f..25f91cb43 100644
--- a/test/unit/dmail_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/dmail_test.rb
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ require 'test_helper'
 class DmailTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
   context "A dmail" do
     setup do
-      User.any_instance.stubs(:validate_sock_puppets).returns(true)
       @user = FactoryGirl.create(:user)
       CurrentUser.user = @user
       CurrentUser.ip_addr = "1.2.3.4"
diff --git a/test/unit/janitor_trial_test.rb b/test/unit/janitor_trial_test.rb
index b6205d2f5..e91ff867c 100644
--- a/test/unit/janitor_trial_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/janitor_trial_test.rb
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ require 'test_helper'
 class JanitorTrialTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
   context "A janitor trial" do
     setup do
-      User.any_instance.stubs(:validate_sock_puppets).returns(true)
       @admin = FactoryGirl.create(:admin_user)
       @user = FactoryGirl.create(:user)
       CurrentUser.user = @admin
diff --git a/test/unit/post_disapproval_test.rb b/test/unit/post_disapproval_test.rb
index c4ef31399..6e23f1f6d 100644
--- a/test/unit/post_disapproval_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/post_disapproval_test.rb
@@ -1,11 +1,6 @@
 require 'test_helper'
 
 class PostDisapprovalTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
-  def setup
-    super
-    User.any_instance.stubs(:validate_sock_puppets).returns(true)
-  end
-
   context "In all cases" do
     setup do
       @alice = FactoryGirl.create(:moderator_user)
diff --git a/test/unit/post_test.rb b/test/unit/post_test.rb
index a25534c5e..03c9faa42 100644
--- a/test/unit/post_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/post_test.rb
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ class PostTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
     super
 
     Timecop.travel(2.weeks.ago) do
-      User.any_instance.stubs(:validate_sock_puppets).returns(true)
       @user = FactoryGirl.create(:user)
     end
     CurrentUser.user = @user
diff --git a/test/unit/post_vote_test.rb b/test/unit/post_vote_test.rb
index 2b9c4dcb8..593313230 100644
--- a/test/unit/post_vote_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/post_vote_test.rb
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ class PostVoteTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
   def setup
     super
 
-    User.any_instance.stubs(:validate_sock_puppets).returns(true)
     @supervoter = FactoryGirl.create(:user, is_super_voter: true)
     @user = FactoryGirl.create(:user)
     CurrentUser.user = @user
diff --git a/test/unit/related_tag_query_test.rb b/test/unit/related_tag_query_test.rb
index c26d1ecf6..4a65415e7 100644
--- a/test/unit/related_tag_query_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/related_tag_query_test.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ require 'test_helper'
 
 class RelatedTagQueryTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
   setup do
-    User.any_instance.stubs(:validate_sock_puppets).returns(true)
     user = FactoryGirl.create(:user)
     CurrentUser.user = user
     CurrentUser.ip_addr = "127.0.0.1"
diff --git a/test/unit/saved_search_test.rb b/test/unit/saved_search_test.rb
index 020c0cf14..0516b5fdc 100644
--- a/test/unit/saved_search_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/saved_search_test.rb
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ class SavedSearchTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
 
   def setup
     super
-    User.any_instance.stubs(:validate_sock_puppets).returns(true)
     @user = FactoryGirl.create(:user)
     CurrentUser.user = @user
     CurrentUser.ip_addr = "127.0.0.1"
diff --git a/test/unit/user_name_change_request_test.rb b/test/unit/user_name_change_request_test.rb
index 3ec402cb6..1d4fb3a02 100644
--- a/test/unit/user_name_change_request_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/user_name_change_request_test.rb
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ require 'test_helper'
 class UserNameChangeRequestTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
   context "in all cases" do
     setup do
-      User.any_instance.stubs(:validate_sock_puppets).returns(true)
       @admin = FactoryGirl.create(:admin_user)
       @requester = FactoryGirl.create(:user)
       CurrentUser.user = @requester
diff --git a/test/unit/user_revert_test.rb b/test/unit/user_revert_test.rb
index 423fd81ea..f50d51bba 100644
--- a/test/unit/user_revert_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/user_revert_test.rb
@@ -3,8 +3,6 @@ require 'test_helper'
 class UserRevertTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
   context "Reverting a user's changes" do
     setup do
-      User.any_instance.stubs(:validate_sock_puppets).returns(true)
-      
       @creator = FactoryGirl.create(:user)
       @user = FactoryGirl.create(:user)
       CurrentUser.user = @user