diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/topic-footer-buttons.js.es6 b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/topic-footer-buttons.js.es6
index d5ae0f8b0ad..af05e670fac 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/topic-footer-buttons.js.es6
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/topic-footer-buttons.js.es6
@@ -8,12 +8,12 @@ export default Ember.Component.extend({
 
   @computed('topic.isPrivateMessage')
   canArchive(isPM) {
-    return this.siteSettings.enable_private_messages && isPM;
+    return this.siteSettings.enable_personal_messages && isPM;
   },
 
   @computed('topic.isPrivateMessage')
   showNotificationsButton(isPM) {
-    return (!isPM) || this.siteSettings.enable_private_messages;
+    return (!isPM) || this.siteSettings.enable_personal_messages;
   },
 
   @computed('topic.details.can_invite_to')
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/user.js.es6 b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/user.js.es6
index c11210ee8ba..c8fce33d5a4 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/user.js.es6
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/user.js.es6
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ export default Ember.Controller.extend(CanCheckEmails, {
 
   @computed('viewingSelf', 'currentUser.admin')
   showPrivateMessages(viewingSelf, isAdmin) {
-    return this.siteSettings.enable_private_messages && (viewingSelf || isAdmin);
+    return this.siteSettings.enable_personal_messages && (viewingSelf || isAdmin);
   },
 
   @computed('viewingSelf', 'currentUser.staff')
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/lib/keyboard-shortcuts.js.es6 b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/lib/keyboard-shortcuts.js.es6
index 367e6aa3048..e65240981e0 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/lib/keyboard-shortcuts.js.es6
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/lib/keyboard-shortcuts.js.es6
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ export default {
     let siteSettings = this.container.lookup('site-settings:main');
 
     // Disable the shortcut if private messages are disabled
-    if (!siteSettings.enable_private_messages) {
+    if (!siteSettings.enable_personal_messages) {
       delete bindings['g m'];
     }
 
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/widgets/user-menu.js.es6 b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/widgets/user-menu.js.es6
index 115c3deb34c..9b5502e91a8 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/widgets/user-menu.js.es6
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/widgets/user-menu.js.es6
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ createWidget('user-menu-links', {
                       icon: 'bookmark',
                       href: `${path}/activity/bookmarks` });
 
-    if (siteSettings.enable_private_messages) {
+    if (siteSettings.enable_personal_messages) {
       glyphs.push({ label: 'user.private_messages',
                     className: 'user-pms-link',
                     icon: 'envelope',
diff --git a/config/locales/server.en.yml b/config/locales/server.en.yml
index d4fe579a123..a2d4ca232fe 100644
--- a/config/locales/server.en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/server.en.yml
@@ -1036,7 +1036,7 @@ en:
     summary_percent_filter: "When a user clicks 'Summarize This Topic', show the top % of posts"
     summary_max_results: "Maximum posts returned by 'Summary This Topic'"
 
-    enable_private_messages: "Allow trust level 1 (configurable via min trust level to send messages) users to create messages and reply to messages. Note that staff can always send messages no matter what."
+    enable_personal_messages: "Allow trust level 1 (configurable via min trust level to send messages) users to create messages and reply to messages. Note that staff can always send messages no matter what."
     enable_system_message_replies: "Allows users to reply to system messages, even if private messages are disabled"
     enable_private_email_messages: "Allow trust level 4 (configurable via min trust level to send messages) users to send private email messages. Note that staff can always send messages no matter what."
 
diff --git a/config/site_settings.yml b/config/site_settings.yml
index 22bc2846b0d..d9e6cd9a9ef 100644
--- a/config/site_settings.yml
+++ b/config/site_settings.yml
@@ -505,7 +505,7 @@ posting:
     locale_default:
       zh_CN: 4
       zh_TW: 4
-  enable_private_messages:
+  enable_personal_messages:
     default: true
     client: true
   enable_system_message_replies:
diff --git a/db/migrate/20180131052859_rename_private_personal.rb b/db/migrate/20180131052859_rename_private_personal.rb
index d1b9dc44677..b97478f6894 100644
--- a/db/migrate/20180131052859_rename_private_personal.rb
+++ b/db/migrate/20180131052859_rename_private_personal.rb
@@ -7,10 +7,12 @@ class RenamePrivatePersonal < ActiveRecord::Migration[5.1]
   def up
     setting :min_private_message_post_length, :min_personal_message_post_length
     setting :min_private_message_title_length, :min_personal_message_title_length
+    setting :enable_private_messages, :enable_personal_messages
   end
 
   def down
     setting :min_private_message_post_length, :min_personal_message_post_length
     setting :min_private_message_title_length, :min_personal_message_title_length
+    setting :enable_private_messages, :enable_personal_messages
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/guardian.rb b/lib/guardian.rb
index 82f66a70160..789d479ec00 100644
--- a/lib/guardian.rb
+++ b/lib/guardian.rb
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ class Guardian
   def can_invite_to?(object, groups = nil)
     return false unless authenticated?
     return true if is_admin?
-    return false unless SiteSetting.enable_private_messages?
+    return false unless SiteSetting.enable_personal_messages?
     return false if (SiteSetting.max_invites_per_day.to_i == 0 && !is_staff?)
     return false unless can_see?(object)
     return false if groups.present?
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ class Guardian
     # User disabled private message
     (is_staff? || is_group || target.user_option.allow_private_messages) &&
     # PMs are enabled
-    (is_staff? || SiteSetting.enable_private_messages) &&
+    (is_staff? || SiteSetting.enable_personal_messages) &&
     # Can't send PMs to suspended users
     (is_staff? || is_group || !target.suspended?) &&
     # Check group messageable level
diff --git a/lib/guardian/post_guardian.rb b/lib/guardian/post_guardian.rb
index 5996f84812c..e5e4e010f85 100644
--- a/lib/guardian/post_guardian.rb
+++ b/lib/guardian/post_guardian.rb
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ module PostGuardian
     result = if authenticated? && post && !@user.anonymous?
 
       return false if [:notify_user, :notify_moderators].include?(action_key) &&
-        !SiteSetting.enable_private_messages?
+        !SiteSetting.enable_personal_messages?
 
       # we allow flagging for trust level 1 and higher
       # always allowed for private messages
diff --git a/lib/topic_query.rb b/lib/topic_query.rb
index 1556e085fc6..34ca3f32ddc 100644
--- a/lib/topic_query.rb
+++ b/lib/topic_query.rb
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ class TopicQuery
     # Don't suggest messages unless we have a user, and private messages are
     # enabled.
     return if topic.private_message? &&
-      (@user.blank? || !SiteSetting.enable_private_messages?)
+      (@user.blank? || !SiteSetting.enable_personal_messages?)
 
     builder = SuggestedTopicsBuilder.new(topic)
 
diff --git a/spec/components/guardian_spec.rb b/spec/components/guardian_spec.rb
index 09d4dc042d4..0aa745ed9e7 100644
--- a/spec/components/guardian_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/components/guardian_spec.rb
@@ -70,14 +70,14 @@ describe Guardian do
     end
 
     it "returns false for notify_user if private messages are disabled" do
-      SiteSetting.enable_private_messages = false
+      SiteSetting.enable_personal_messages = false
       user.trust_level = TrustLevel[2]
       expect(Guardian.new(user).post_can_act?(post, :notify_user)).to be_falsey
       expect(Guardian.new(user).post_can_act?(post, :notify_moderators)).to be_falsey
     end
 
     it "returns false for notify_user and notify_moderators if private messages are enabled but threshold not met" do
-      SiteSetting.enable_private_messages = true
+      SiteSetting.enable_personal_messages = true
       SiteSetting.min_trust_to_send_messages = 2
       user.trust_level = TrustLevel[1]
       expect(Guardian.new(user).post_can_act?(post, :notify_user)).to be_falsey
@@ -170,8 +170,8 @@ describe Guardian do
       expect(Guardian.new(user).can_send_private_message?(another_user)).to be_falsey
     end
 
-    context "enable_private_messages is false" do
-      before { SiteSetting.enable_private_messages = false }
+    context "enable_personal_messages is false" do
+      before { SiteSetting.enable_personal_messages = false }
 
       it "returns false if user is not staff member" do
         expect(Guardian.new(trust_level_4).can_send_private_message?(another_user)).to be_falsey
@@ -451,7 +451,7 @@ describe Guardian do
 
       context "when private messages are disabled" do
         before do
-          SiteSetting.enable_private_messages = false
+          SiteSetting.enable_personal_messages = false
         end
 
         it "doesn't allow a regular user to invite" do
diff --git a/spec/components/topic_query_spec.rb b/spec/components/topic_query_spec.rb
index 4ca84492b35..7d400cd5d44 100644
--- a/spec/components/topic_query_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/components/topic_query_spec.rb
@@ -696,7 +696,7 @@ describe TopicQuery do
         eq([new_pm.id, unread_pm.id, related_by_user_pm.id])
       )
 
-      SiteSetting.enable_private_messages = false
+      SiteSetting.enable_personal_messages = false
       expect(TopicQuery.new(user).list_suggested_for(pm_to_group)).to be_blank
       expect(TopicQuery.new(user).list_suggested_for(pm_to_user)).to be_blank
     end
diff --git a/test/javascripts/widgets/user-menu-test.js.es6 b/test/javascripts/widgets/user-menu-test.js.es6
index 8b26410e0fa..19b4640a658 100644
--- a/test/javascripts/widgets/user-menu-test.js.es6
+++ b/test/javascripts/widgets/user-menu-test.js.es6
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ widgetTest('log out', {
 widgetTest('private messages - disabled', {
   template: '{{mount-widget widget="user-menu"}}',
   beforeEach() {
-    this.siteSettings.enable_private_messages = false;
+    this.siteSettings.enable_personal_messages = false;
   },
 
   test(assert) {
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ widgetTest('private messages - disabled', {
 widgetTest('private messages - enabled', {
   template: '{{mount-widget widget="user-menu"}}',
   beforeEach() {
-    this.siteSettings.enable_private_messages = true;
+    this.siteSettings.enable_personal_messages = true;
   },
 
   test(assert) {