diff --git a/swh/web/assets/src/bundles/browse/origin-save.js b/swh/web/assets/src/bundles/browse/origin-save.js
--- a/swh/web/assets/src/bundles/browse/origin-save.js
+++ b/swh/web/assets/src/bundles/browse/origin-save.js
@@ -13,7 +13,10 @@
 function originSaveRequest(originType, originUrl,
                            acceptedCallback, pendingCallback, errorCallback) {
   let addSaveOriginRequestUrl = Urls.browse_origin_save_request(originType, originUrl);
-  let grecaptchaData = {'g-recaptcha-response': grecaptcha.getResponse()};
+  let grecaptchaData = {};
+  if (swh.webapp.isReCaptchaActivated()) {
+    grecaptchaData['g-recaptcha-response'] = grecaptcha.getResponse();
+  }
   let headers = {
     'Accept': 'application/json',
     'Content-Type': 'application/json'
@@ -28,13 +31,17 @@
       } else {
         pendingCallback();
       }
-      grecaptcha.reset();
+      if (swh.webapp.isReCaptchaActivated()) {
+        grecaptcha.reset();
+      }
     })
     .catch(response => {
       if (response.status === 403) {
         errorCallback();
       }
-      grecaptcha.reset();
+      if (swh.webapp.isReCaptchaActivated()) {
+        grecaptcha.reset();
+      }
     });
 }
 
diff --git a/swh/web/assets/src/bundles/webapp/webapp-utils.js b/swh/web/assets/src/bundles/webapp/webapp-utils.js
--- a/swh/web/assets/src/bundles/webapp/webapp-utils.js
+++ b/swh/web/assets/src/bundles/webapp/webapp-utils.js
@@ -137,3 +137,13 @@
   });
   $('td > a').on('click', function(e) { e.stopPropagation(); });
 }
+
+let reCaptchaActivated;
+
+export function setReCaptchaActivated(activated) {
+  reCaptchaActivated = activated;
+}
+
+export function isReCaptchaActivated() {
+  return reCaptchaActivated;
+}
diff --git a/swh/web/browse/views/origin_save.py b/swh/web/browse/views/origin_save.py
--- a/swh/web/browse/views/origin_save.py
+++ b/swh/web/browse/views/origin_save.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 def _browse_origin_save_request(request, origin_type, origin_url):
     body_unicode = request.body.decode('utf-8')
     body = json.loads(body_unicode)
-    if is_recaptcha_valid(request, body['g-recaptcha-response']):
+    if is_recaptcha_valid(request, body.get('g-recaptcha-response')):
         try:
             response = json.dumps(create_save_origin_request(origin_type,
                                                              origin_url),
diff --git a/swh/web/common/utils.py b/swh/web/common/utils.py
--- a/swh/web/common/utils.py
+++ b/swh/web/common/utils.py
@@ -329,15 +329,19 @@
         bool: Whether the reCAPTCHA response is valid or not
     """
     config = get_config()
-    return requests.post(
-        config['grecaptcha']['validation_url'],
-        data={
-            'secret': config['grecaptcha']['private_key'],
-            'response': recaptcha_response,
-            'remoteip': get_client_ip(request)
-        },
-        verify=True
-    ).json().get("success", False)
+    if config['grecaptcha']['activated'] is False:
+        recaptcha_valid = True
+    else:
+        recaptcha_valid = requests.post(
+            config['grecaptcha']['validation_url'],
+            data={
+                'secret': config['grecaptcha']['private_key'],
+                'response': recaptcha_response,
+                'remoteip': get_client_ip(request)
+            },
+            verify=True
+        ).json().get("success", False)
+    return recaptcha_valid
 
 
 def context_processor(request):
@@ -347,4 +351,5 @@
     """
     config = get_config()
     return {'swh_object_icons': swh_object_icons,
+            'grecaptcha_activated': config['grecaptcha']['activated'],
             'grecaptcha_site_key': config['grecaptcha']['site_key']}
diff --git a/swh/web/config.py b/swh/web/config.py
--- a/swh/web/config.py
+++ b/swh/web/config.py
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@
         }
     }),
     'grecaptcha': ('dict', {
+        'activated': True,
         'validation_url': 'https://www.google.com/recaptcha/api/siteverify',
         'site_key': '',
         'private_key': ''
diff --git a/swh/web/templates/browse/layout.html b/swh/web/templates/browse/layout.html
--- a/swh/web/templates/browse/layout.html
+++ b/swh/web/templates/browse/layout.html
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
 {% block header %}
 {% render_bundle 'browse' %}
 {% render_bundle 'vault' %}
-<script src="https://www.google.com/recaptcha/api.js"></script>
 {% endblock %}
 
 {% block content %}
diff --git a/swh/web/templates/browse/origin-save.html b/swh/web/templates/browse/origin-save.html
--- a/swh/web/templates/browse/origin-save.html
+++ b/swh/web/templates/browse/origin-save.html
@@ -7,6 +7,13 @@
 See top-level LICENSE file for more information
 {% endcomment %}
 
+{% block header %}
+{{ block.super }}
+{% if grecaptcha_activated %}
+  <script src="https://www.google.com/recaptcha/api.js"></script>
+{% endif %}
+{% endblock %}
+
 {% block navbar-content %}
 <h4>Save code now</h4>
 {% endblock %}
@@ -71,18 +78,27 @@
           <input type="text" class="form-control" id="swh-input-origin-url" oninput="swh.browse.validateSaveOriginUrl(this)" required>
           <div class="invalid-feedback">The origin url is not valid or does not reference a code repository</div>
         </div>
-        <div class="col-md-2"></div>
-      </div>
-      <div class="form-row">
-        <div class="col-md-2"></div>
-        <div class="form-group col-md-4">
-          <div class="g-recaptcha" id="save-origin-recaptcha" data-sitekey="{{ grecaptcha_site_key }}"></div>
-        </div>
-        <div class="form-group col-md-1">
-          <label for="swh-input-origin-save-submit">&#8203;</label>
-          <button type="submit" id="swh-input-origin-save-submit" class="btn btn-default btn-block">Submit</button>
+        <div class="col-md-2">
+          {% if not grecaptcha_activated %}
+            <div class="form-group">
+              <label for="swh-input-origin-save-submit">&#8203;</label>
+              <button type="submit" id="swh-input-origin-save-submit" class="btn btn-default btn-block">Submit</button>
+            </div>
+          {% endif %}
         </div>
       </div>
+      {% if grecaptcha_activated %}
+        <div class="form-row">
+          <div class="col-md-2"></div>
+          <div class="form-group col-md-4">
+            <div class="g-recaptcha" id="save-origin-recaptcha" data-sitekey="{{ grecaptcha_site_key }}"></div>
+          </div>
+          <div class="form-group col-md-1">
+            <label for="swh-input-origin-save-submit">&#8203;</label>
+            <button type="submit" id="swh-input-origin-save-submit" class="btn btn-default btn-block">Submit</button>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      {% endif %}
     </form>
     <div id="swh-origin-save-request-status">
     </div>
diff --git a/swh/web/templates/includes/take-new-snapshot.html b/swh/web/templates/includes/take-new-snapshot.html
--- a/swh/web/templates/includes/take-new-snapshot.html
+++ b/swh/web/templates/includes/take-new-snapshot.html
@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@
 
 {% if snapshot_context and snapshot_context.origin_info and snapshot_context.origin_info.type|origin_type_savable %}
 
+  {% if grecaptcha_activated %}
+    <script src="https://www.google.com/recaptcha/api.js"></script>
+  {% endif %}
+
   <!-- entry in the Actions menu -->
   <div class="dropdown-submenu">
     <button class="dropdown-item" type="button" tabindex="-1" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#swh-take-new-snapshot-modal">
@@ -47,16 +51,27 @@
                 <input type="text" class="form-control" id="swh-input-origin-url" value="{{ snapshot_context.origin_info.url }}" disabled>
               </div>
             </div>
-            <div class="form-row">
-              <div class="form-group col-md-6">
-                <div class="g-recaptcha" id="swh-take-new-snapshot-recaptcha" data-sitekey="{{ grecaptcha_site_key }}"></div>
-              </div>
-              <div class="col-md-3"></div>
-              <div class="form-group col-md-3">
-                <label for="swh-take-new-snapshot-submit">&#8203;</label>
-                <button type="submit" id="swh-take-new-snapshot-save-submit" class="btn btn-default btn-block">Submit</button>
+              <div class="form-row">
+                {% if grecaptcha_activated %}
+                  <div class="form-group col-md-6">
+                    <div class="g-recaptcha" id="swh-take-new-snapshot-recaptcha" data-sitekey="{{ grecaptcha_site_key }}"></div>
+                  </div>
+                  <div class="col-md-3"></div>
+                  <div class="form-group col-md-3">
+                    <label for="swh-take-new-snapshot-submit">&#8203;</label>
+                    <button type="submit" id="swh-take-new-snapshot-save-submit" class="btn btn-default btn-block">Submit</button>
+                  </div>
+                {% else %}
+                  <div class="col-md-4"></div>
+                  <div class="col-md-4 form-group">
+                    <label for="swh-take-new-snapshot-submit">&#8203;</label>
+                    <button type="submit" id="swh-take-new-snapshot-save-submit" class="btn btn-default btn-block">Submit</button>
+                  </div>
+                  <div class="col-md-4"></div>
+                {% endif %}
+
               </div>
-            </div>
+
           </form>
           <div id="swh-take-new-snapshot-request-status">
           </div>
diff --git a/swh/web/templates/layout.html b/swh/web/templates/layout.html
--- a/swh/web/templates/layout.html
+++ b/swh/web/templates/layout.html
@@ -181,6 +181,7 @@
 
   <script>
     swh.webapp.setSwhObjectIcons({{ swh_object_icons|jsonify }});
+    swh.webapp.setReCaptchaActivated({{ grecaptcha_activated|jsonify }});
   </script>
 
 </html>
diff --git a/swh/web/tests/browse/views/test_origin_save.py b/swh/web/tests/browse/views/test_origin_save.py
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/swh/web/tests/browse/views/test_origin_save.py
@@ -0,0 +1,143 @@
+# Copyright (C) 2019  The Software Heritage developers
+# See the AUTHORS file at the top-level directory of this distribution
+# License: GNU Affero General Public License version 3, or any later version
+# See top-level LICENSE file for more information
+
+import json
+
+from datetime import datetime
+from hypothesis import given
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+from swh.web.common.origin_save import (
+    SAVE_REQUEST_ACCEPTED, SAVE_TASK_NOT_YET_SCHEDULED
+)
+from swh.web.config import get_config
+from swh.web.common.utils import reverse
+from swh.web.tests.strategies import origin
+from swh.web.tests.testcase import WebTestCase
+
+
+class SwhBrowseOriginSaveTest(WebTestCase):
+
+    @given(origin())
+    def test_recaptcha_activation_in_gui(self, origin):
+
+        swh_web_config = get_config()
+
+        for captcha_activated in (True, False):
+
+            swh_web_config.update({
+                'grecaptcha': {
+                    'activated': captcha_activated,
+                    'site_key': ''
+                }
+            })
+
+            url = reverse('browse-origin-save')
+            resp = self.client.get(url)
+
+            captcha_script_url = 'https://www.google.com/recaptcha/api.js'
+            captcha_dom_elt = '<div class="g-recaptcha"'
+
+            if captcha_activated:
+                self.assertContains(resp, captcha_script_url)
+                self.assertContains(resp, captcha_dom_elt)
+            else:
+                self.assertNotContains(resp, captcha_script_url)
+                self.assertNotContains(resp, captcha_dom_elt)
+
+            url = reverse('browse-origin-directory',
+                          url_args={'origin_type': origin['type'],
+                                    'origin_url': origin['url']})
+
+            resp = self.client.get(url)
+
+            if captcha_activated:
+                self.assertContains(resp, captcha_script_url)
+                self.assertContains(resp, captcha_dom_elt)
+            else:
+                self.assertNotContains(resp, captcha_script_url)
+                self.assertNotContains(resp, captcha_dom_elt)
+
+    @patch('swh.web.browse.views.origin_save.create_save_origin_request')
+    def test_recaptcha_not_activated_server_side(
+            self, mock_create_save_origin_request):
+
+        swh_web_config = get_config()
+
+        swh_web_config.update({
+            'grecaptcha': {
+                'activated': False,
+                'site_key': ''
+            }
+        })
+
+        origin_type = 'git'
+        origin_url = 'https://github.com/python/cpython'
+
+        expected_data = {
+            'origin_type': origin_type,
+            'origin_url': origin_url,
+            'save_request_date': datetime.now().isoformat(),
+            'save_request_status': SAVE_REQUEST_ACCEPTED,
+            'save_task_status': SAVE_TASK_NOT_YET_SCHEDULED,
+            'visit_date': None
+        }
+
+        mock_create_save_origin_request.return_value = expected_data
+
+        url = reverse('browse-origin-save-request',
+                      url_args={'origin_type': origin_type,
+                                'origin_url': origin_url})
+        resp = self.client.post(
+            url, data={}, content_type='application/json')
+
+        save_request_data = json.loads(resp.content.decode('utf-8'))
+
+        self.assertEqual(save_request_data, expected_data)
+
+    @patch('swh.web.browse.views.origin_save.is_recaptcha_valid')
+    @patch('swh.web.browse.views.origin_save.create_save_origin_request')
+    def test_recaptcha_activated_server_side(
+            self, mock_create_save_origin_request,
+            mock_is_recaptcha_valid):
+
+        swh_web_config = get_config()
+
+        swh_web_config.update({
+            'grecaptcha': {
+                'activated': True,
+                'site_key': ''
+            }
+        })
+
+        origin_type = 'git'
+        origin_url = 'https://github.com/python/cpython'
+
+        expected_data = {
+            'origin_type': origin_type,
+            'origin_url': origin_url,
+            'save_request_date': datetime.now().isoformat(),
+            'save_request_status': SAVE_REQUEST_ACCEPTED,
+            'save_task_status': SAVE_TASK_NOT_YET_SCHEDULED,
+            'visit_date': None
+        }
+
+        mock_create_save_origin_request.return_value = expected_data
+
+        for captcha_valid in (False, True):
+
+            mock_is_recaptcha_valid.return_value = captcha_valid
+
+            url = reverse('browse-origin-save-request',
+                          url_args={'origin_type': origin_type,
+                                    'origin_url': origin_url})
+            resp = self.client.post(
+                url, data={}, content_type='application/json')
+
+            if captcha_valid is False:
+                self.assertEqual(resp.status_code, 403)
+            else:
+                save_request_data = json.loads(resp.content.decode('utf-8'))
+                self.assertEqual(save_request_data, expected_data)