diff --git a/plugins/Topic/config.py b/plugins/Topic/config.py
index dbef35a33..3ddfff93b 100644
--- a/plugins/Topic/config.py
+++ b/plugins/Topic/config.py
@@ -66,12 +66,11 @@ conf.registerChannelValue(Topic.undo, 'max',
     registry.NonNegativeInteger(10, _("""Determines the number of previous
     topics to keep around in case the undo command is called.""")))
 conf.registerChannelValue(Topic, 'requireManageCapability',
-    registry.String('channel,op; channel,halfop', 
-    _("""Determines the 
+    registry.String('admin; channel,op', _("""Determines the
     capabilities required (if any) to make any topic changes,
-    (everything except for read-only operations). Use 'channel,capab' for 
+    (everything except for read-only operations). Use 'channel,capab' for
     channel-level capabilities.
-    Note that absence of an explicit anticapability means user has 
+    Note that absence of an explicit anticapability means user has
     capability.""")))
 
 
diff --git a/plugins/Topic/plugin.py b/plugins/Topic/plugin.py
index 0e2d299f0..221919b6b 100644
--- a/plugins/Topic/plugin.py
+++ b/plugins/Topic/plugin.py
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ import supybot.callbacks as callbacks
 from supybot.i18n import PluginInternationalization, internationalizeDocstring
 _ = PluginInternationalization('Topic')
 
+import supybot.ircdb as ircdb
 
 def canChangeTopic(irc, msg, args, state):
     assert not state.channel
@@ -207,7 +208,6 @@ class Topic(callbacks.Plugin):
         irc.queueMsg(ircmsgs.topic(channel, newTopic))
         irc.noReply()
 
-    @internationalizeDocstring
     def _checkManageCapabilities(self, irc, msg, channel):
         """Check if the user has any of the required capabilities to manage
         the channel topic.
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ class Topic(callbacks.Plugin):
         manually anyway.
         """
         c = irc.state.channels[channel]
-        if msg.nick in c.ops or msg.nick in c.halfops or 't' not in c.modes:
+        if msg.nick in c.ops:
             return True
         capabilities = self.registryValue('requireManageCapability')
         if capabilities:
@@ -403,6 +403,9 @@ class Topic(callbacks.Plugin):
         index into the topics.  <channel> is only necessary if the message
         isn't sent in the channel itself.
         """
+        if not self._checkManageCapabilities(irc, msg, channel):
+            capabilities = self.registryValue('requireManageCapability')
+            irc.errorNoCapability(capabilities, Raise=True)
         topics = self._splitTopic(irc.state.getTopic(channel), channel)
         irc.reply(topics[number])
     get = wrap(get, ['inChannel', 'topicNumber'])
diff --git a/plugins/Topic/test.py b/plugins/Topic/test.py
index 83adcfaee..bb41662da 100644
--- a/plugins/Topic/test.py
+++ b/plugins/Topic/test.py
@@ -70,18 +70,14 @@ class TopicTestCase(ChannelPluginTestCase):
         self.assertEqual(m.command, 'TOPIC')
         self.assertEqual(m.args[0], self.channel)
         self.assertEqual(m.args[1], 'foo (test) || bar (test)')
-    
+
     def testManageCapabilities(self):
         try:
-            self.irc.feedMsg(ircmsgs.mode(self.channel, args=('+o', self.nick),
-                                      prefix=self.prefix))
-            self.irc.feedMsg(ircmsgs.mode(self.channel, args=('+t'),
-                                      prefix=self.prefix))
             world.testing = False
             origuser = self.prefix
             self.prefix = 'stuff!stuff@stuff'
             self.assertNotError('register nottester stuff', private=True)
-            
+
             self.assertError('topic add foo')
             origconf = conf.supybot.plugins.Topic.requireManageCapability()
             conf.supybot.plugins.Topic.requireManageCapability.setValue('')
@@ -90,7 +86,7 @@ class TopicTestCase(ChannelPluginTestCase):
             world.testing = True
             self.prefix = origuser
             conf.supybot.plugins.Topic.requireManageCapability.setValue(origconf)
-    
+
     def testInsert(self):
         m = self.getMsg('topic add foo')
         self.assertEqual(m.args[1], 'foo (test)')