diff --git a/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/repository/RegistrationRestRepository.java b/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/repository/RegistrationRestRepository.java
index ac44ccb4c2..98f129b4bf 100644
--- a/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/repository/RegistrationRestRepository.java
+++ b/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/repository/RegistrationRestRepository.java
@@ -93,11 +93,16 @@ public class RegistrationRestRepository extends DSpaceRestRepository<Registratio
         HttpServletRequest request = requestService.getCurrentRequest().getHttpServletRequest();
         ObjectMapper mapper = new ObjectMapper();
         RegistrationRest registrationRest;
-
+        String accountType = request.getParameter(TYPE_QUERY_PARAM);
+        if (StringUtils.isBlank(accountType) ||
+            (!accountType.equalsIgnoreCase(TYPE_FORGOT) && !accountType.equalsIgnoreCase(TYPE_REGISTER))) {
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException(String.format("Needs query param '%s' with value %s or %s indicating " +
+                "what kind of registration request it is", TYPE_QUERY_PARAM, TYPE_FORGOT, TYPE_REGISTER));
+        }
         String captchaToken = request.getHeader("X-Recaptcha-Token");
         boolean verificationEnabled = configurationService.getBooleanProperty("registration.verification.enabled");
 
-        if (verificationEnabled) {
+        if (verificationEnabled && !accountType.equalsIgnoreCase(TYPE_FORGOT)) {
             try {
                 captchaService.processResponse(captchaToken, REGISTER_ACTION);
             } catch (InvalidReCaptchaException e) {
@@ -114,12 +119,6 @@ public class RegistrationRestRepository extends DSpaceRestRepository<Registratio
         if (StringUtils.isBlank(registrationRest.getEmail())) {
             throw new UnprocessableEntityException("The email cannot be omitted from the Registration endpoint");
         }
-        String accountType = request.getParameter(TYPE_QUERY_PARAM);
-        if (StringUtils.isBlank(accountType) ||
-            (!accountType.equalsIgnoreCase(TYPE_FORGOT) && !accountType.equalsIgnoreCase(TYPE_REGISTER))) {
-            throw new IllegalArgumentException(String.format("Needs query param '%s' with value %s or %s indicating " +
-                "what kind of registration request it is", TYPE_QUERY_PARAM, TYPE_FORGOT, TYPE_REGISTER));
-        }
         EPerson eperson = null;
         try {
             eperson = ePersonService.findByEmail(context, registrationRest.getEmail());
@@ -130,12 +129,12 @@ public class RegistrationRestRepository extends DSpaceRestRepository<Registratio
             try {
                 if (!AuthorizeUtil.authorizeUpdatePassword(context, eperson.getEmail())) {
                     throw new DSpaceBadRequestException("Password cannot be updated for the given EPerson with email: "
-                        + eperson.getEmail());
+                                                            + eperson.getEmail());
                 }
                 accountService.sendForgotPasswordInfo(context, registrationRest.getEmail());
             } catch (SQLException | IOException | MessagingException | AuthorizeException e) {
                 log.error("Something went wrong with sending forgot password info email: "
-                    + registrationRest.getEmail(), e);
+                              + registrationRest.getEmail(), e);
             }
         } else if (accountType.equalsIgnoreCase(TYPE_REGISTER)) {
             try {
@@ -152,7 +151,7 @@ public class RegistrationRestRepository extends DSpaceRestRepository<Registratio
                 accountService.sendRegistrationInfo(context, email);
             } catch (SQLException | IOException | MessagingException | AuthorizeException e) {
                 log.error("Something went wrong with sending registration info email: "
-                    + registrationRest.getEmail(), e);
+                              + registrationRest.getEmail(), e);
             }
         }
         return null;
diff --git a/dspace-server-webapp/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/RegistrationRestRepositoryIT.java b/dspace-server-webapp/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/RegistrationRestRepositoryIT.java
index d597b68a55..3eaf8373cb 100644
--- a/dspace-server-webapp/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/RegistrationRestRepositoryIT.java
+++ b/dspace-server-webapp/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/RegistrationRestRepositoryIT.java
@@ -298,6 +298,7 @@ public class RegistrationRestRepositoryIT extends AbstractControllerIntegrationT
 
         // when reCAPTCHA enabled and request doesn't contain "X-Recaptcha-Token” header
         getClient().perform(post("/api/eperson/registrations")
+                            .param(TYPE_QUERY_PARAM, TYPE_REGISTER)
                    .content(mapper.writeValueAsBytes(registrationRest))
                    .contentType(contentType))
                    .andExpect(status().isForbidden());