diff --git a/src/kernel/jsonconf.c b/src/kernel/jsonconf.c
index 23486c8aa..64ae06477 100644
--- a/src/kernel/jsonconf.c
+++ b/src/kernel/jsonconf.c
@@ -508,21 +508,25 @@ static void json_prefixes(cJSON *json) {
  * 3. a "module.enabled" flag in the settings
  */
 static void disable_feature(const char *str) {
-    // FIXME: this is slower than balls.
+    char name[32];
     int k;
+    skill_t sk;
+    sk = findskill(str);
+    if (sk != NOSKILL) {
+        enable_skill(sk, false);
+        return;
+    }
     for (k = 0; k != MAXKEYWORDS; ++k) {
+        // FIXME: this loop is slow as balls.
         if (strcmp(keywords[k], str) == 0) {
             log_info("disable keyword %s\n", str);
             enable_keyword(k, false);
-            break;
+            return;
         }
     }
-    if (k == MAXKEYWORDS) {
-        char name[32];
-        _snprintf(name, sizeof(name), "%s.enabled", str);
-        log_info("disable feature %s\n", name);
-        set_param(&global.parameters, name, "0");
-    }
+    _snprintf(name, sizeof(name), "%s.enabled", str);
+    log_info("disable feature %s\n", name);
+    set_param(&global.parameters, name, "0");
 }
 
 static void json_disable_features(cJSON *json) {
diff --git a/src/kernel/jsonconf.test.c b/src/kernel/jsonconf.test.c
index 0474b99a6..d7a4ad0cd 100644
--- a/src/kernel/jsonconf.test.c
+++ b/src/kernel/jsonconf.test.c
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ static void test_prefixes(CuTest * tc)
 static void test_disable(CuTest * tc)
 {
     const char * data = "{\"disabled\": [ "
+        "\"alchemy\","
         "\"pay\","
         "\"besiege\","
         "\"module\""
@@ -109,11 +110,13 @@ static void test_disable(CuTest * tc)
     cJSON *json = cJSON_Parse(data);
 
     test_cleanup();
+    CuAssertTrue(tc, skill_enabled(SK_ALCHEMY));
     CuAssertTrue(tc, !keyword_disabled(K_BANNER));
     CuAssertTrue(tc, !keyword_disabled(K_PAY));
     CuAssertTrue(tc, !keyword_disabled(K_BESIEGE));
     CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 1, get_param_int(global.parameters, "module.enabled", 1));
     json_config(json);
+    CuAssertTrue(tc, !skill_enabled(SK_ALCHEMY));
     CuAssertTrue(tc, !keyword_disabled(K_BANNER));
     CuAssertTrue(tc, keyword_disabled(K_PAY));
     CuAssertTrue(tc, keyword_disabled(K_BESIEGE));
diff --git a/src/tests.c b/src/tests.c
index 3389aff01..596d7b02f 100644
--- a/src/tests.c
+++ b/src/tests.c
@@ -89,6 +89,9 @@ void test_cleanup(void)
     free_seen();
     free_prefixes();
     mt_clear();
+    for (i = 0; i != MAXSKILLS; ++i) {
+        enable_skill(i, true);
+    }
     for (i = 0; i != MAXKEYWORDS; ++i) {
         enable_keyword(i, true);
     }