diff --git a/lib/spam_handler.rb b/lib/spam_handler.rb
index a60a8cd5b5c..e6bfdf34193 100644
--- a/lib/spam_handler.rb
+++ b/lib/spam_handler.rb
@@ -3,6 +3,12 @@ class SpamHandler
   def self.should_prevent_registration_from_ip?(ip_address)
     return false if SiteSetting.max_new_accounts_per_registration_ip <= 0
 
+    tl2_plus_accounts_with_same_ip = User.where("trust_level >= ?", TrustLevel[2])
+                                         .where("ip_address = ?", ip_address.to_s)
+                                         .count
+
+    return false if tl2_plus_accounts_with_same_ip > 0
+
     tl0_accounts_with_same_ip = User.unscoped
                                     .where(trust_level: TrustLevel[0])
                                     .where("ip_address = ?", ip_address.to_s)
diff --git a/lib/trust_level.rb b/lib/trust_level.rb
index 5f8637b460f..6fba142eb3c 100644
--- a/lib/trust_level.rb
+++ b/lib/trust_level.rb
@@ -1,22 +1,20 @@
 require_dependency 'enum'
 
 class InvalidTrustLevel < StandardError; end
+
 class TrustLevel
+
   attr_reader :id, :name
 
   class << self
 
-    def[](level)
-      if !valid?(level)
-        raise InvalidTrustLevel
-      end
+    def [](level)
+      raise InvalidTrustLevel if !valid?(level)
       level
     end
 
     def levels
-      @levels ||= Enum.new(
-        :newuser, :basic, :regular, :leader, :elder, start: 0
-      )
+      @levels ||= Enum.new(:newuser, :basic, :regular, :leader, :elder, start: 0)
     end
 
     def all
@@ -26,16 +24,17 @@ class TrustLevel
     end
 
     def valid?(level)
-       valid_range === level
+    valid_range === level
     end
 
     def valid_range
-       (0..4)
+      (0..4)
     end
 
     def compare(current_level, level)
       (current_level || 0) >= level
     end
+
   end
 
   def initialize(name_key, id)
@@ -46,4 +45,5 @@ class TrustLevel
   def serializable_hash
     { id: @id, name: @name }
   end
+
 end
diff --git a/spec/components/spam_handler_spec.rb b/spec/components/spam_handler_spec.rb
index 7154d45486b..532eda07237 100644
--- a/spec/components/spam_handler_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/components/spam_handler_spec.rb
@@ -22,6 +22,17 @@ describe SpamHandler do
       -> { Fabricate(:user, ip_address: "42.42.42.42", trust_level: TrustLevel[0]) }.should raise_error(ActiveRecord::RecordInvalid)
     end
 
+    it "only limit new registrations from an IP if *all* the users from that IP are TL1 or TL0" do
+      # setup
+      SiteSetting.stubs(:max_new_accounts_per_registration_ip).returns(0)
+      Fabricate(:user, ip_address: "42.42.42.42", trust_level: TrustLevel[0])
+      Fabricate(:user, ip_address: "42.42.42.42", trust_level: TrustLevel[2])
+
+      # should not limit registrations since there is a TL2 user with that IP
+      SiteSetting.stubs(:max_new_accounts_per_registration_ip).returns(1)
+      Fabricate(:user, ip_address: "42.42.42.42", trust_level: TrustLevel[0])
+    end
+
   end
 
 end