diff --git a/phpBB/language/en/acp/common.php b/phpBB/language/en/acp/common.php
index 4a70aafc6f..3d1ab7f873 100644
--- a/phpBB/language/en/acp/common.php
+++ b/phpBB/language/en/acp/common.php
@@ -606,6 +606,7 @@ $lang = array_merge($lang, array(
 
 	'LOG_ERROR_JABBER'		=> '<strong>Jabber error</strong><br />» %s',
 	'LOG_ERROR_EMAIL'		=> '<strong>Email error</strong><br />» %s',
+	'LOG_ERROR_CAPTCHA'		=> '<strong>CAPTCHA error</strong><br />» %s',
 
 	'LOG_FORUM_ADD'							=> '<strong>Created new forum</strong><br />» %s',
 	'LOG_FORUM_COPIED_PERMISSIONS'			=> '<strong>Copied forum permissions</strong> from %1$s<br />» %2$s',
diff --git a/phpBB/language/en/captcha_qa.php b/phpBB/language/en/captcha_qa.php
index f764a83f24..28011eb636 100644
--- a/phpBB/language/en/captcha_qa.php
+++ b/phpBB/language/en/captcha_qa.php
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ $lang = array_merge($lang, array(
 	'CAPTCHA_QA'				=> 'Q&amp;A',
 	'CONFIRM_QUESTION_EXPLAIN'	=> 'This question is a means of preventing automated form submissions by spambots.',
 	'CONFIRM_QUESTION_WRONG'	=> 'You have provided an invalid answer to the question.',
+	'CONFIRM_QUESTION_MISSING'	=> 'Questions for the captcha could not be retrieved. Please contact a board administrator.',
 
 	'QUESTION_ANSWERS'			=> 'Answers',
 	'ANSWERS_EXPLAIN'			=> 'Please enter valid answers to the question, one per line.',
@@ -60,5 +61,4 @@ $lang = array_merge($lang, array(
 
 	'QA_ERROR_MSG'				=> 'Please fill in all fields and enter at least one answer.',
 	'QA_LAST_QUESTION'			=> 'You cannot delete all questions while the plugin is active.',
-
 ));
diff --git a/phpBB/phpbb/captcha/plugins/qa.php b/phpBB/phpbb/captcha/plugins/qa.php
index 4df8a86432..7f804850a4 100644
--- a/phpBB/phpbb/captcha/plugins/qa.php
+++ b/phpBB/phpbb/captcha/plugins/qa.php
@@ -100,6 +100,28 @@ class qa
 			$db->sql_freeresult($result);
 		}
 
+		// final fallback to any language
+		if (!sizeof($this->question_ids))
+		{
+			$this->question_lang = '';
+
+			$sql = 'SELECT q.question_id, q.lang_iso
+				FROM ' . $this->table_captcha_questions . ' q, ' . $this->table_captcha_answers . ' a
+				WHERE q.question_id = a.question_id
+				GROUP BY lang_iso';
+			$result = $db->sql_query($sql, 7200);
+
+			while ($row = $db->sql_fetchrow($result))
+			{
+				if (empty($this->question_lang))
+				{
+					$this->question_lang = $row['lang_iso'];
+				}
+				$this->question_ids[$row['question_id']] = $row['question_id'];
+			}
+			$db->sql_freeresult($result);
+		}
+
 		// okay, if there is a confirm_id, we try to load that confirm's state. If not, we try to find one
 		if (!$this->load_answer() && (!$this->load_confirm_id() || !$this->load_answer()))
 		{
@@ -198,10 +220,12 @@ class qa
 	*/
 	function get_template()
 	{
-		global $template;
+		global $phpbb_log, $template, $user;
 
-		if ($this->is_solved())
+		if ($this->is_solved() || empty($this->question_text) || !count($this->question_ids))
 		{
+			/** @var \phpbb\log\log_interface $phpbb_log */
+			$phpbb_log->add('critical', $user->data['user_id'], $user->ip, 'LOG_ERROR_CAPTCHA', time(), array($user->lang('CONFIRM_QUESTION_MISSING')));
 			return false;
 		}
 		else
@@ -363,13 +387,15 @@ class qa
 	*/
 	function validate()
 	{
-		global $user;
+		global $phpbb_log, $user;
 
 		$error = '';
 
 		if (!sizeof($this->question_ids))
 		{
-			return false;
+			/** @var \phpbb\log\log_interface $phpbb_log */
+			$phpbb_log->add('critical', $user->data['user_id'], $user->ip, 'LOG_ERROR_CAPTCHA', time(), array($user->lang('CONFIRM_QUESTION_MISSING')));
+			return $user->lang('CONFIRM_QUESTION_MISSING');
 		}
 
 		if (!$this->confirm_id)