diff --git a/lib/API/JSON/v1/Subscribers.php b/lib/API/JSON/v1/Subscribers.php
index fc161d0549..028d62213d 100644
--- a/lib/API/JSON/v1/Subscribers.php
+++ b/lib/API/JSON/v1/Subscribers.php
@@ -66,6 +66,11 @@ class Subscribers extends APIEndpoint {
         APIError::BAD_REQUEST => __('Please specify a valid form ID.', 'mailpoet')
       ));
     }
+    if(!empty($data['email'])) {
+      return $this->badRequest(array(
+        APIError::BAD_REQUEST => __('Please leave the first field empty.', 'mailpoet')
+      ));
+    }
 
     $segment_ids = (!empty($data['segments'])
       ? (array)$data['segments']
@@ -74,6 +79,8 @@ class Subscribers extends APIEndpoint {
     $segment_ids = $form->filterSegments($segment_ids);
     unset($data['segments']);
 
+    $data = $this->deobfuscateFormPayload($data);
+
     if(empty($segment_ids)) {
       return $this->badRequest(array(
         APIError::BAD_REQUEST => __('Please select a list.', 'mailpoet')
@@ -115,6 +122,18 @@ class Subscribers extends APIEndpoint {
     }
   }
 
+  private function deobfuscateFormPayload($data) {
+    $result = array();
+    foreach($data as $key => $value) {
+      if(strpos($key, 'form_field_') === 0) {
+        $result[base64_decode(substr($key, 11))] = $value;
+      } else {
+        $result[$key] = $value;
+      }
+    }
+    return $result;
+  }
+
   function save($data = array()) {
     if(empty($data['segments'])) {
       $data['segments'] = array();
diff --git a/lib/Form/Block/Base.php b/lib/Form/Block/Base.php
index 723433c5ea..39e6c5809d 100644
--- a/lib/Form/Block/Base.php
+++ b/lib/Form/Block/Base.php
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ abstract class Base {
     if((int)$block['id'] > 0) {
       return 'cf_'.$block['id'];
     } else {
-      return $block['id'];
+      return 'form_field_'.base64_encode($block['id']);//obfuscate field name for spambots
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/lib/Form/Renderer.php b/lib/Form/Renderer.php
index 1649520ad4..f301e4f96a 100644
--- a/lib/Form/Renderer.php
+++ b/lib/Form/Renderer.php
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ class Renderer {
     $styles = new Util\Styles(static::getStyles($form));
 
     $html = '<style type="text/css">';
+    $html .= '.mailpoet_hp_email_label{position: absolute;left: -999em;}';// move honeypot field out of the sight
     $html .= $styles->render($prefix);
     $html .= '</style>';
 
@@ -38,7 +39,8 @@ class Renderer {
   }
 
   static function renderBlocks($blocks = array()) {
-    $html = '';
+    // this is a honeypot for spambots
+    $html = '<label class="mailpoet_hp_email_label">Please leave this field empty<input type="email" name="data[email]"></label>';
     foreach($blocks as $key => $block) {
       $html .= static::renderBlock($block)."\n";
     }
diff --git a/tests/unit/API/JSON/v1/SubscribersTest.php b/tests/unit/API/JSON/v1/SubscribersTest.php
index d94d345b47..e49061d33e 100644
--- a/tests/unit/API/JSON/v1/SubscribersTest.php
+++ b/tests/unit/API/JSON/v1/SubscribersTest.php
@@ -390,10 +390,22 @@ class SubscribersTest extends \MailPoetTest {
     expect($response->errors[0]['message'])->contains('has no method');
   }
 
+  function testItFailsWithEmailFilled() {
+    $router = new Subscribers();
+    $response = $router->subscribe(array(
+      'form_id' => $this->form->id,
+      'email' => 'toto@mailpoet.com'
+      // no form ID specified
+    ));
+
+    expect($response->status)->equals(APIResponse::STATUS_BAD_REQUEST);
+    expect($response->errors[0]['message'])->equals('Please leave the first field empty.');
+  }
+
   function testItCannotSubscribeWithoutFormID() {
     $router = new Subscribers();
     $response = $router->subscribe(array(
-      'email' => 'toto@mailpoet.com'
+      'form_field_ZW1haWw' => 'toto@mailpoet.com'
       // no form ID specified
     ));
 
@@ -404,7 +416,7 @@ class SubscribersTest extends \MailPoetTest {
   function testItCannotSubscribeWithoutSegmentsIfTheyAreSelectedByUser() {
     $router = new Subscribers();
     $response = $router->subscribe(array(
-      'email' => 'toto@mailpoet.com',
+      'form_field_ZW1haWw=' => 'toto@mailpoet.com',
       'form_id' => $this->form->id
       // no segments specified
     ));
@@ -416,7 +428,7 @@ class SubscribersTest extends \MailPoetTest {
   function testItCanSubscribe() {
     $router = new Subscribers();
     $response = $router->subscribe(array(
-      'email' => 'toto@mailpoet.com',
+      'form_field_ZW1haWw=' => 'toto@mailpoet.com',
       'form_id' => $this->form->id,
       'segments' => array($this->segment_1->id, $this->segment_2->id)
     ));
@@ -431,7 +443,7 @@ class SubscribersTest extends \MailPoetTest {
 
     $router = new Subscribers();
     $response = $router->subscribe(array(
-      'email' => 'toto@mailpoet.com',
+      'form_field_ZW1haWw=' => 'toto@mailpoet.com',
       'form_id' => $this->form->id
       // no segments specified
     ));
@@ -453,7 +465,7 @@ class SubscribersTest extends \MailPoetTest {
 
     $router = new Subscribers();
     $response = $router->subscribe(array(
-      'email' => 'toto@mailpoet.com',
+      'form_field_ZW1haWw=' => 'toto@mailpoet.com',
       'form_id' => $this->form->id,
       'segments' => array($this->segment_1->id, $this->segment_2->id)
     ));
@@ -465,7 +477,7 @@ class SubscribersTest extends \MailPoetTest {
   function testItCanFilterOutNonFormFieldsWhenSubscribing() {
     $router = new Subscribers();
     $response = $router->subscribe(array(
-      'email' => 'toto@mailpoet.com',
+      'form_field_ZW1haWw=' => 'toto@mailpoet.com',
       'form_id' => $this->form->id,
       'segments' => array($this->segment_1->id, $this->segment_2->id),
       // exists in table and in the form
@@ -486,14 +498,14 @@ class SubscribersTest extends \MailPoetTest {
 
     $router = new Subscribers();
     $response = $router->subscribe(array(
-      'email' => 'toto@mailpoet.com',
+      'form_field_ZW1haWw=' => 'toto@mailpoet.com',
       'form_id' => $this->form->id,
       'segments' => array($this->segment_1->id, $this->segment_2->id)
     ));
 
     try {
       $response = $router->subscribe(array(
-        'email' => 'tata@mailpoet.com',
+        'form_field_ZW1haWw=' => 'tata@mailpoet.com',
         'form_id' => $this->form->id,
         'segments' => array($this->segment_1->id, $this->segment_2->id)
       ));
diff --git a/tests/unit/Subscription/FormTest.php b/tests/unit/Subscription/FormTest.php
index b115de96be..09d7abca88 100644
--- a/tests/unit/Subscription/FormTest.php
+++ b/tests/unit/Subscription/FormTest.php
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ use MailPoet\Util\Security;
 
 class FormTest extends \MailPoetTest {
   function _before() {
+    $this->testEmail = 'test@example.com';
     $this->segment = SegmentModel::createOrUpdate(
       array(
         'name' => 'Test segment'
@@ -34,7 +35,7 @@ class FormTest extends \MailPoetTest {
       'action' => 'mailpoet_subscription_form',
       'data' => array(
         'form_id' => $this->form->id,
-        'email' => 'test@example.com'
+        'form_field_ZW1haWw=' => $this->testEmail
       ),
       'token' => Security::generateToken(),
       'api_version' => 'v1',
@@ -58,7 +59,7 @@ class FormTest extends \MailPoetTest {
       }
     ]);
     $result = Form::onSubmit($this->request_data);
-    expect(SubscriberModel::findOne($this->request_data['data']['email']))->notEmpty();
+    expect(SubscriberModel::findOne($this->testEmail))->notEmpty();
     $mock->verifyInvoked('redirectBack');
     expect($result['mailpoet_success'])->equals($this->form->id);
     expect($result['mailpoet_error'])->null();
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ class FormTest extends \MailPoetTest {
       }
     ]);
     $result = Form::onSubmit($this->request_data);
-    expect(SubscriberModel::findOne($this->request_data['data']['email']))->notEmpty();
+    expect(SubscriberModel::findOne($this->testEmail))->notEmpty();
     $mock->verifyInvoked('redirectTo');
     expect($result)->regExp('/http.*?sample-post/i');
   }