diff --git a/Classes/RequestMethod/CurlPostWithProxy.php b/Classes/RequestMethod/CurlPostWithProxy.php
index 5b0dbb2..a4a4775 100644
--- a/Classes/RequestMethod/CurlPostWithProxy.php
+++ b/Classes/RequestMethod/CurlPostWithProxy.php
@@ -63,14 +63,17 @@ public function injectSettings(array $settings)
             throw new \Exception("Invalid configuration, the Wegmeister.Recaptcha.httpProxy option has to be a string.");
         }
 
-        $httpProxyParts = explode(':', $settings['httpProxy']);
-        if(count($httpProxyParts) !== 2 || (int)$httpProxyParts[1] === 0){
+        $httpProxy = $settings['httpProxy'];
+        $this->emitHttpProxyRetrieved($httpProxy);
+
+        $formatIsValid = preg_match('@^(.*):(\d{1,5})$@', $httpProxy, $httpProxyParts);
+        $this->proxyHost = $httpProxyParts[1];
+        $this->proxyPort = (int)$httpProxyParts[2];
+
+        if(!$formatIsValid || !$this->proxyHost || !$this->proxyPort){
             throw new \Exception("Invalid configuration, the Wegmeister.Recaptcha.httpProxy option should have the following format: 'http://yourproxy.com:1234'");
         }
 
-        $this->proxyHost = $httpProxyParts[0];
-        $this->proxyPort = $httpProxyParts[1];
-
         $this->settings = $settings;
     }
 
@@ -110,9 +113,6 @@ public function submit(RequestParameters $params)
             CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYPEER => true,
         ];
 
-        $httpProxy = $this->settings['httpProxy'];
-        $this->emitHttpProxyRetrieved($httpProxy);
-
         $options[CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER] = 1;
         $options[CURLOPT_PROXY]          = $this->proxyHost;
         $options[CURLOPT_PROXYPORT]      = $this->proxyPort;
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index dab0b46..9744be1 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -15,6 +15,17 @@ composer require wegmeister/recaptcha
 
 Afterwards, go to [http://www.google.com/recaptcha](http://www.google.com/recaptcha) and create a key for your website. Select the API version you wish to use based on the list above.
 
+## Configuration
+
+### HTTP Proxy
+If you are using a http proxy on your server you need to add this configuration:
+```
+Wegmeister:
+  Recaptcha:
+    requestMethod: 'Wegmeister\Recaptcha\RequestMethod\CurlPostWithProxy'
+    httpProxy: 'http://yourproxy.com:1234'
+```
+
 ## Usage with [Neos.Form](https://github.com/neos/form)
 
 Simply add the new form element to your form definition renderables: