diff --git a/admin/tool/lp/lib.php b/admin/tool/lp/lib.php
index 04a5dfe9211..1539e32617c 100644
--- a/admin/tool/lp/lib.php
+++ b/admin/tool/lp/lib.php
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ defined('MOODLE_INTERNAL') || die();
  * @param context $coursecontext The context of the course
  */
 function tool_lp_extend_navigation_course($navigation, $course, $coursecontext) {
-    if (!\core_competency\api::is_enabled()) {
+    if (!get_config('core_competency', 'enabled')) {
         return;
     }
 
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ function tool_lp_extend_navigation_course($navigation, $course, $coursecontext)
  * @param context_course $coursecontext The context of the course
  */
 function tool_lp_extend_navigation_user($navigation, $user, $usercontext, $course, $coursecontext) {
-    if (!\core_competency\api::is_enabled()) {
+    if (!get_config('core_competency', 'enabled')) {
         return;
     }
 
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ function tool_lp_extend_navigation_user($navigation, $user, $usercontext, $cours
  * @return bool
  */
 function tool_lp_myprofile_navigation(core_user\output\myprofile\tree $tree, $user, $iscurrentuser, $course) {
-    if (!\core_competency\api::is_enabled()) {
+    if (!get_config('core_competency', 'enabled')) {
         return false;
     } else if (!\core_competency\plan::can_read_user($user->id)) {
         return false;
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ function tool_lp_myprofile_navigation(core_user\output\myprofile\tree $tree, $us
  * @param context $coursecategorycontext The context of the course category
  */
 function tool_lp_extend_navigation_category_settings($navigation, $coursecategorycontext) {
-    if (!\core_competency\api::is_enabled()) {
+    if (!get_config('core_competency', 'enabled')) {
         return false;
     }
 
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ function tool_lp_extend_navigation_category_settings($navigation, $coursecategor
 function tool_lp_coursemodule_standard_elements($formwrapper, $mform) {
     global $CFG, $COURSE;
 
-    if (!\core_competency\api::is_enabled()) {
+    if (!get_config('core_competency', 'enabled')) {
         return;
     } else if (!has_capability('moodle/competency:coursecompetencymanage', $formwrapper->get_context())) {
         return;
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ function tool_lp_coursemodule_standard_elements($formwrapper, $mform) {
  * @param stdClass $course The course.
  */
 function tool_lp_coursemodule_edit_post_actions($data, $course) {
-    if (!\core_competency\api::is_enabled()) {
+    if (!get_config('core_competency', 'enabled')) {
         return $data;
     }
 
diff --git a/admin/tool/lp/settings.php b/admin/tool/lp/settings.php
index 80758aedc94..2481791b9d7 100644
--- a/admin/tool/lp/settings.php
+++ b/admin/tool/lp/settings.php
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ defined('MOODLE_INTERNAL') || die();
 $parentname = 'competencies';
 
 // If the plugin is enabled we add the pages.
-if (\core_competency\api::is_enabled()) {
+if (get_config('core_competency', 'enabled')) {
 
     // Manage competency frameworks page.
     $temp = new admin_externalpage(
diff --git a/admin/tool/lpmigrate/settings.php b/admin/tool/lpmigrate/settings.php
index 26b362295d6..b1ecf3b9af6 100644
--- a/admin/tool/lpmigrate/settings.php
+++ b/admin/tool/lpmigrate/settings.php
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
  */
 defined('MOODLE_INTERNAL') || die();
 
-if (\core_competency\api::is_enabled()) {
+if (get_config('core_competency', 'enabled')) {
 
     $parentname = 'competencies';
 
diff --git a/blocks/lp/block_lp.php b/blocks/lp/block_lp.php
index 84b02a0d655..60a9aea47fc 100644
--- a/blocks/lp/block_lp.php
+++ b/blocks/lp/block_lp.php
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ class block_lp extends block_base {
         }
         $this->content = new stdClass();
 
-        if (!\core_competency\api::is_enabled()) {
+        if (!get_config('core_competency', 'enabled')) {
             return $this->content;
         }
 
diff --git a/competency/classes/api.php b/competency/classes/api.php
index 07e76f7b40f..2a76ecd06b7 100644
--- a/competency/classes/api.php
+++ b/competency/classes/api.php
@@ -49,6 +49,10 @@ class api {
     /**
      * Returns whether competencies are enabled.
      *
+     * This method should never do more than checking the config setting, the reason
+     * being that some other code could be checking the config value directly
+     * to avoid having to load this entire file into memory.
+     *
      * @return boolean True when enabled.
      */
     public static function is_enabled() {
diff --git a/competency/lib.php b/competency/lib.php
index c3b4b05dc04..e9007747fab 100644
--- a/competency/lib.php
+++ b/competency/lib.php
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ use core_competency\user_evidence;
 function core_competency_comment_add($comment, $params) {
     global $USER;
 
-    if (!api::is_enabled()) {
+    if (!get_config('core_competency', 'enabled')) {
         return;
     }
 
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ function core_competency_comment_add($comment, $params) {
  * @return array
  */
 function core_competency_comment_permissions($params) {
-    if (!api::is_enabled()) {
+    if (!get_config('core_competency', 'enabled')) {
         return array('post' => false, 'view' => false);
     }
 
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ function core_competency_comment_permissions($params) {
  * @return bool
  */
 function core_competency_comment_validate($params) {
-    if (!api::is_enabled()) {
+    if (!get_config('core_competency', 'enabled')) {
         return false;
     }
 
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ function core_competency_comment_validate($params) {
 function core_competency_pluginfile($course, $cm, $context, $filearea, $args, $forcedownload, array $options = array()) {
     global $CFG;
 
-    if (!api::is_enabled()) {
+    if (!get_config('core_competency', 'enabled')) {
         return false;
     }
 
diff --git a/report/competency/lib.php b/report/competency/lib.php
index 35bd488f875..5476c55e290 100644
--- a/report/competency/lib.php
+++ b/report/competency/lib.php
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@ defined('MOODLE_INTERNAL') || die;
  * @param stdClass $context The context of the course
  */
 function report_competency_extend_navigation_course($navigation, $course, $context) {
+    if (!get_config('core_competency', 'enabled')) {
+        return;
+    }
+
     if (has_capability('moodle/competency:coursecompetencyview', $context)) {
         $url = new moodle_url('/report/competency/index.php', array('id' => $course->id));
         $name = get_string('pluginname', 'report_competency');