diff --git a/app/models/ability.rb b/app/models/ability.rb
index 654345b8..ff1628a1 100644
--- a/app/models/ability.rb
+++ b/app/models/ability.rb
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ class Ability
 
     can [:new, :create], Registration do |registration|
       conference = registration.conference
-      conference.registration_open? && !conference.registration_limit_exceeded?
+      conference.registration_open? && !conference.registration_limit_exceeded? || conference.program.speakers.confirmed.include?(user)
     end
 
     can :index, Ticket
diff --git a/app/models/conference.rb b/app/models/conference.rb
index 224c1dfb..1c4ccc73 100644
--- a/app/models/conference.rb
+++ b/app/models/conference.rb
@@ -594,8 +594,15 @@ class Conference < ActiveRecord::Base
     (email_settings.conference_registration_dates_updated_subject.present? && email_settings.conference_registration_dates_updated_body.present?)
   end
 
+  ##
+  # Checks if the registration limit has been exceeded
+  # Additionally, it takes into account the confirmed speakers that haven't registered yet
+  #
+  # ====Returns
+  # * +True+ -> If the registration limit has been reached or exceeded
+  # * +False+ -> If the registration limit hasn't been exceeded
   def registration_limit_exceeded?
-    registration_limit > 0 && registrations.count >= registration_limit
+    registration_limit > 0 && registrations.count + program.speakers.confirmed.count - program.speakers.confirmed.registered(program.conference).count >= registration_limit
   end
 
   # Returns an hexadecimal color given a collection. The returned color changed
diff --git a/app/models/program.rb b/app/models/program.rb
index e8114f99..c7168849 100644
--- a/app/models/program.rb
+++ b/app/models/program.rb
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@ class Program < ActiveRecord::Base
     def confirmed
       joins(:events).where(events: { state: :confirmed })
     end
+
+    def registered(conference)
+      joins(:registrations).where('registrations.conference_id = ?', conference.id)
+    end
   end
 
   accepts_nested_attributes_for :event_types, allow_destroy: true
diff --git a/app/views/admin/conferences/edit.html.haml b/app/views/admin/conferences/edit.html.haml
index de8d6316..5aa717ea 100644
--- a/app/views/admin/conferences/edit.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/admin/conferences/edit.html.haml
@@ -24,5 +24,5 @@
         = f.input :start_hour, input_html: {size: 2, type: 'number', min: 0, max: 23}
         = f.input :end_hour, input_html: {size: 2, type: 'number', min: 1, max: 24}
       = f.inputs name: 'Registrations' do
-        = f.input :registration_limit, as: :number, in: 0..9999, hint: 'Limit the number of registrations to the conference (0 no limit). You currently have ' + pluralize(@conference.registrations.count, 'registration')
+        = f.input :registration_limit, as: :number, in: 0..9999, hint: 'Limit the number of registrations to the conference (0 no limit). Please note that the registration limit doesn\'t apply to speakers of confirmed events (they will still be able to register even if it has been reached). You currently have ' + pluralize(@conference.registrations.count, 'registration')
       = f.action :submit, as: :button, button_html: {class: 'btn btn-primary'}
diff --git a/app/views/conferences/_conference_details.html.haml b/app/views/conferences/_conference_details.html.haml
index 6ee51573..bdbd5fc6 100644
--- a/app/views/conferences/_conference_details.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/conferences/_conference_details.html.haml
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@
               - if conference.user_registered?(current_user)
                 = link_to "My Registration", conference_conference_registration_path(conference.short_title), class: 'btn btn-default'
               - else
-                = link_to "Register", new_conference_conference_registration_path(conference.short_title), class: "btn btn-default", disabled: conference.registration_limit_exceeded?
-                - if conference.registration_limit_exceeded?
+                = link_to "Register", new_conference_conference_registration_path(conference.short_title), class: "btn btn-default", disabled: cannot?(:new, Registration.new(conference_id: conference.id))
+                - if cannot?(:new, Registration.new(conference_id: conference.id)) && conference.registration_limit_exceeded?
                   Sorry, no places left
             - if !current_user.nil? && current_user.proposal_count(conference) > 0
               = link_to "My Proposals", conference_program_proposals_path(conference.short_title), class: 'btn btn-default'