diff --git a/src/wp-admin/options.php b/src/wp-admin/options.php
index 6916e2e25c990..8348b24c8e941 100644
--- a/src/wp-admin/options.php
+++ b/src/wp-admin/options.php
@@ -158,7 +158,19 @@
 $allowed_options['options'] = array();
 $allowed_options['privacy'] = array();
 
-$mail_options = array( 'mailserver_url', 'mailserver_port', 'mailserver_login', 'mailserver_pass' );
+/**
+ * Filters whether the post-by-email functionality is enabled.
+ *
+ * @since 3.0.0
+ *
+ * @param bool $enabled Whether post-by-email configuration is enabled. Default true.
+ */
+if ( apply_filters( 'enable_post_by_email_configuration', true ) ) {
+	$allowed_options['writing'][] = 'mailserver_url';
+	$allowed_options['writing'][] = 'mailserver_port';
+	$allowed_options['writing'][] = 'mailserver_login';
+	$allowed_options['writing'][] = 'mailserver_pass';
+}
 
 if ( ! is_utf8_charset() ) {
 	$allowed_options['reading'][] = 'blog_charset';
@@ -180,7 +192,6 @@
 	$allowed_options['general'][] = 'users_can_register';
 	$allowed_options['general'][] = 'default_role';
 
-	$allowed_options['writing']   = array_merge( $allowed_options['writing'], $mail_options );
 	if ( '1' === get_option( 'blog_public' ) ) {
 		$allowed_options['writing'][] = 'ping_sites';
 	}
@@ -198,17 +209,6 @@
 		$allowed_options['media'][] = 'upload_path';
 		$allowed_options['media'][] = 'upload_url_path';
 	}
-} else {
-	/**
-	 * Filters whether the post-by-email functionality is enabled.
-	 *
-	 * @since 3.0.0
-	 *
-	 * @param bool $enabled Whether post-by-email configuration is enabled. Default true.
-	 */
-	if ( apply_filters( 'enable_post_by_email_configuration', true ) ) {
-		$allowed_options['writing'] = array_merge( $allowed_options['writing'], $mail_options );
-	}
 }
 
 /**