diff --git a/plugins/Config/plugin.py b/plugins/Config/plugin.py
index 8276a5e3c..80737ab94 100644
--- a/plugins/Config/plugin.py
+++ b/plugins/Config/plugin.py
@@ -65,9 +65,15 @@ def getWrapper(name):
 
 def getCapability(name):
     capability = 'owner' # Default to requiring the owner capability.
+    if not name.startswith('supybot') and not name.startswith('users'):
+        name = 'supybot.' + name
     parts = registry.split(name)
+    group = getattr(conf, parts.pop(0))
     while parts:
-        part = parts.pop()
+        part = parts.pop(0)
+        group = group.get(part)
+        if not getattr(group, '_opSettable', True):
+            return 'owner'
         if ircutils.isChannel(part):
             # If a registry value has a channel in it, it requires a
             # 'channel,op' capability, or so we assume.  We'll see if we're
diff --git a/plugins/Config/test.py b/plugins/Config/test.py
index 9015f749d..7e9195d04 100644
--- a/plugins/Config/test.py
+++ b/plugins/Config/test.py
@@ -28,13 +28,23 @@
 # POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 ###
 
-from supybot.test import *
+import random
 
+from supybot.test import *
 import supybot.conf as conf
 
+_letters = 'abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz'
+def random_string():
+    return ''.join(random.choice(_letters) for _ in range(16))
+
 class ConfigTestCase(ChannelPluginTestCase):
     # We add utilities so there's something in supybot.plugins.
-    plugins = ('Config', 'Utilities')
+    plugins = ('Config', 'User', 'Utilities')
+
+    prefix1 = 'somethingElse!user@host1.tld'
+    prefix2 = 'EvensomethingElse!user@host2.tld'
+    prefix3 = 'Completely!Different@host3.tld__no_testcap__'
+
     def testGet(self):
         self.assertNotRegexp('config get supybot.reply', r'registry\.Group')
         self.assertResponse('config supybot.protocols.irc.throttleTime', '0.0')
@@ -110,5 +120,52 @@ class ConfigTestCase(ChannelPluginTestCase):
             conf.supybot.commands.allowShell.setValue(True)
             conf.supybot.directories.plugins.setValue(old_plugins_dirs)
 
+    def testOpEditable(self):
+        var_name = 'testOpEditable' + random_string()
+        conf.registerChannelValue(conf.supybot.plugins.Config, var_name,
+                registry.Integer(0, 'help'))
+        self.assertNotError('register bar passwd', frm=self.prefix3,
+                private=True)
+        self.assertRegexp('whoami', 'bar', frm=self.prefix3)
+        ircdb.users.getUser('bar').addCapability(self.channel + ',op')
+
+        self.assertRegexp('config plugins.Config.%s 1' % var_name,
+                '^Completely: Error: ',
+                frm=self.prefix3)
+        self.assertResponse('config plugins.Config.%s' % var_name,
+                'Global: 0; #test: 0')
+
+        self.assertNotRegexp('config channel plugins.Config.%s 1' % var_name,
+                '^Completely: Error: ',
+                frm=self.prefix3)
+        self.assertResponse('config plugins.Config.%s' % var_name,
+                'Global: 0; #test: 1')
+
+    def testOpNonEditable(self):
+        var_name = 'testOpNonEditable' + random_string()
+        conf.registerChannelValue(conf.supybot.plugins.Config, var_name,
+                registry.Integer(0, 'help'), opSettable=False)
+        self.assertNotError('register bar passwd', frm=self.prefix3,
+                private=True)
+        self.assertRegexp('whoami', 'bar', frm=self.prefix3)
+        ircdb.users.getUser('bar').addCapability(self.channel + ',op')
+
+        self.assertRegexp('config plugins.Config.%s 1' % var_name,
+                '^Completely: Error: ',
+                frm=self.prefix3)
+        self.assertResponse('config plugins.Config.%s' % var_name,
+                'Global: 0; #test: 0')
+
+        self.assertRegexp('config channel plugins.Config.%s 1' % var_name,
+                '^Completely: Error: ',
+                frm=self.prefix3)
+        self.assertResponse('config plugins.Config.%s' % var_name,
+                'Global: 0; #test: 0')
+
+        self.assertNotRegexp('config channel plugins.Config.%s 1' % var_name,
+                '^Completely: Error: ')
+        self.assertResponse('config plugins.Config.%s' % var_name,
+                'Global: 0; #test: 1')
+
 # vim:set shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4 expandtab textwidth=79:
 
diff --git a/src/conf.py b/src/conf.py
index d5cf0cf76..9f4ad907c 100644
--- a/src/conf.py
+++ b/src/conf.py
@@ -86,9 +86,10 @@ def registerGlobalValue(group, name, value):
     value.channelValue = False
     return group.register(name, value)
 
-def registerChannelValue(group, name, value):
+def registerChannelValue(group, name, value, opSettable=True):
     value._supplyDefault = True
     value.channelValue = True
+    value._opSettable = opSettable
     g = group.register(name, value)
     gname = g._name.lower()
     for name in registry._cache.keys():