diff --git a/src/callbacks.py b/src/callbacks.py
index eaf43cce7..bde93dc5f 100644
--- a/src/callbacks.py
+++ b/src/callbacks.py
@@ -465,13 +465,15 @@ class RichReplyMethods(object):
         if isinstance(capability, basestring): # checkCommandCapability!
             log.warning('Denying %s for lacking %q capability.',
                         self.msg.prefix, capability)
-            if not self._getConfig(conf.supybot.reply.error.noCapability):
-                v = self._getConfig(conf.supybot.replies.noCapability)
-                s = self.__makeReply(v % capability, s)
-                return self._error(s, **kwargs)
+            # noCapability means "don't send a specific capability error
+            # message" not "don't send a capability error message at all", like
+            # one would think
+            if self._getConfig(conf.supybot.reply.error.noCapability):
+                v = self._getConfig(conf.supybot.replies.genericNoCapability)
             else:
-                log.debug('Not sending capability error, '
-                          'supybot.reply.error.noCapability is False.')
+                v = self._getConfig(conf.supybot.replies.noCapability)
+            s = self.__makeReply(v % capability, s)
+            return self._error(s, **kwargs)
         else:
             log.warning('Denying %s for some unspecified capability '
                         '(or a default).', self.msg.prefix)