diff --git a/app/controllers/concerns/remotely_translatable.rb b/app/controllers/concerns/remotely_translatable.rb
index b21f6c39b..7f47f0c8f 100644
--- a/app/controllers/concerns/remotely_translatable.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/concerns/remotely_translatable.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ module RemotelyTranslatable
   private
 
     def detect_remote_translations(*args)
-      return [] unless Setting["feature.remote_translations"].present?
+      return [] unless Setting["feature.remote_translations"].present? && api_key_has_been_set_in_secrets?
 
       resources_groups(*args).flatten.select { |resource| translation_empty?(resource) }.map do |resource|
         remote_translation_for(resource)
@@ -24,4 +24,8 @@ module RemotelyTranslatable
 
       args.compact - [feeds] + feeds.map(&:items)
     end
+
+    def api_key_has_been_set_in_secrets?
+      Rails.application.secrets.microsoft_api_key.present?
+    end
 end
diff --git a/spec/controllers/concerns/remotely_translatable_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/concerns/remotely_translatable_spec.rb
index 149ce0c4f..8320e778c 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/concerns/remotely_translatable_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/concerns/remotely_translatable_spec.rb
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ include RemotelyTranslatable
 describe RemotelyTranslatable do
   before do
     Setting["feature.remote_translations"] = true
+    allow(Rails.application.secrets).to receive(:microsoft_api_key).and_return("123")
   end
 
   describe "#detect_remote_translations" do
@@ -48,6 +49,16 @@ describe RemotelyTranslatable do
       end
     end
 
+    it "When api key has not been set in secrets should not detect remote_translations" do
+      allow(Rails.application.secrets).to receive(:microsoft_api_key).and_return(nil)
+      proposal = create(:proposal)
+      comment = create(:comment, commentable: proposal)
+
+      I18n.with_locale(:es) do
+        expect(detect_remote_translations([proposal, comment])).to eq []
+      end
+    end
+
     it "When defined in current locale should not detect remote_translations" do
       proposal = create(:proposal)
       comment = create(:comment, commentable: proposal)
diff --git a/spec/features/remote_translations_spec.rb b/spec/features/remote_translations_spec.rb
index 980920243..c144a406a 100644
--- a/spec/features/remote_translations_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/remote_translations_spec.rb
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ describe "Remote Translations" do
     available_locales_response = %w[de en es fr pt zh-Hans]
     expect(RemoteTranslations::Microsoft::AvailableLocales).to receive(:available_locales).
                                                             and_return(available_locales_response)
+    allow(Rails.application.secrets).to receive(:microsoft_api_key).and_return("123")
   end
 
   describe "Display remote translation button when locale is included in microsoft translate client" do
diff --git a/spec/shared/features/remotely_translatable.rb b/spec/shared/features/remotely_translatable.rb
index 38c491e12..d7acff59f 100644
--- a/spec/shared/features/remotely_translatable.rb
+++ b/spec/shared/features/remotely_translatable.rb
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ shared_examples "remotely_translatable" do |factory_name, path_name, path_argume
     available_locales_response = %w[de en es fr pt zh-Hans]
     expect(RemoteTranslations::Microsoft::AvailableLocales).to receive(:available_locales).at_most(3).times.
                                                             and_return(available_locales_response)
+    allow(Rails.application.secrets).to receive(:microsoft_api_key).and_return("123")
   end
 
   context "Button to request remote translation" do