diff --git a/plugins/AutoMode/config.py b/plugins/AutoMode/config.py
index 4431696de..aa8766655 100644
--- a/plugins/AutoMode/config.py
+++ b/plugins/AutoMode/config.py
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ conf.registerChannelValue(AutoMode, 'enable',
     """)))
 conf.registerGlobalValue(AutoMode, 'owner',
     registry.Boolean(True, _("""Determines whether this plugin will automode
-    owners.""")))
+    owners even if they don't have op/halfop/voice/whatever capability.""")))
 conf.registerChannelValue(AutoMode, 'fallthrough',
     registry.Boolean(False, _("""Determines whether the bot will "fall
     through" to halfop/voicing when auto-opping is turned off but
diff --git a/plugins/AutoMode/plugin.py b/plugins/AutoMode/plugin.py
index f1d321efb..001db84f1 100644
--- a/plugins/AutoMode/plugin.py
+++ b/plugins/AutoMode/plugin.py
@@ -51,7 +51,8 @@ class AutoMode(callbacks.Plugin):
         fallthrough = self.registryValue('fallthrough', channel)
         def do(type):
             cap = ircdb.makeChannelCapability(channel, type)
-            if ircdb.checkCapability(msg.prefix, cap, ignoreOwner=True):
+            if ircdb.checkCapability(msg.prefix, cap,
+                    ignoreOwner=not self.registryValue('owner')):
                 if self.registryValue(type, channel):
                     self.log.info('Sending auto-%s of %s in %s.',
                                   type, msg.prefix, channel)