diff --git a/modules/gallery/helpers/access.php b/modules/gallery/helpers/access.php
index fbe0b55067..949aea840d 100644
--- a/modules/gallery/helpers/access.php
+++ b/modules/gallery/helpers/access.php
@@ -99,16 +99,8 @@ static function user_can($user, $perm_name, $item) {
       return true;
     }
 
-    if ($item->owner_id == $user->id  &&
-        in_array($perm_name, array("view_full", "edit", "add"))) {
-      return true;
-    }
-
-    if ($perm_name == "view") {
-      $resource = $item->owner_id == $user->id ? $item->parent() : $item;
-    } else {
-      $resource = model_cache::get("access_cache", $item->id, "item_id");
-    }
+    $resource = $perm_name == "view" ?
+      $item : model_cache::get("access_cache", $item->id, "item_id");
     foreach ($user->groups as $group) {
       if ($resource->__get("{$perm_name}_{$group->id}") === self::ALLOW) {
         return true;
diff --git a/modules/gallery/models/item.php b/modules/gallery/models/item.php
index c1d11a969b..038e11fbf1 100644
--- a/modules/gallery/models/item.php
+++ b/modules/gallery/models/item.php
@@ -38,17 +38,31 @@ public function viewable() {
       if (user::active()->admin) {
         $this->view_restrictions = array();
       } else {
-        $this->view_restrictions["owner_id"] = user::active()->id;
         foreach (user::group_ids() as $id) {
-          $this->view_restrictions["view_$id"] = access::ALLOW;
+          // Separate the first restriction from the rest to make it easier for us to formulate
+          // our where clause below
+          if (empty($this->view_restrictions)) {
+            $this->view_restrictions[0] = "view_$id";
+          } else {
+            $this->view_restrictions[1]["view_$id"] = access::ALLOW;
+          }
         }
       }
     }
+    switch (count($this->view_restrictions)) {
+    case 0:
+      break;
 
-    if (!empty($this->view_restrictions)) {
+    case 1:
+      $this->where($this->view_restrictions[0], access::ALLOW);
+      break;
+
+    default:
       $this->open_paren();
-      $this->orwhere($this->view_restrictions);
+      $this->where($this->view_restrictions[0], access::ALLOW);
+      $this->orwhere($this->view_restrictions[1]);
       $this->close_paren();
+      break;
     }
 
     return $this;
diff --git a/modules/gallery/tests/Access_Helper_Test.php b/modules/gallery/tests/Access_Helper_Test.php
index 737ed8a6ff..59cec453e8 100644
--- a/modules/gallery/tests/Access_Helper_Test.php
+++ b/modules/gallery/tests/Access_Helper_Test.php
@@ -101,48 +101,6 @@ public function user_can_no_access_test() {
     $this->assert_false(access::user_can($user, "view", $item), "Should be unable to view");
   }
 
-  public function owner_can_view_album_test() {
-    $user = user::create("access_test", "Access Test", "");
-    foreach ($user->groups as $group) {
-      $user->remove($group);
-    }
-    $user->save();
-
-    $root = ORM::factory("item", 1);
-    $item = album::create($root,  rand(), "test album", $user->id);
-
-    $this->assert_true(access::user_can($user, "view", $item), "Should be able to view");
-  }
-
-  public function owner_can_view_photo_test() {
-    $user = user::create("access_test", "Access Test", "");
-    foreach ($user->groups as $group) {
-      $user->remove($group);
-    }
-    $user->save();
-
-    $root = ORM::factory("item", 1);
-    $album = album::create($root,  rand(), "test album", $user->id);
-    $item = photo::create($album, MODPATH . "gallery/images/gallery.png", "", "", null, $user->id);
-
-    $this->assert_true(access::user_can($user, "view", $item), "Should be able to view");
-  }
-
-  public function owner_cant_view_photo_test() {
-    $user = user::create("access_test", "Access Test", "");
-    foreach ($user->groups as $group) {
-      $user->remove($group);
-    }
-    $user->save();
-
-    $root = ORM::factory("item", 1);
-    $album = album::create($root,  rand(), "test album");
-    access::deny(group::everybody(), "view", $album);
-    $item = photo::create($album, MODPATH . "gallery/images/gallery.png", "", "", null, $user->id);
-
-    $this->assert_false(access::user_can($user, "view", $item), "Should not be able to view");
-  }
-
   public function adding_and_removing_items_adds_ands_removes_rows_test() {
     $root = ORM::factory("item", 1);
     $item = album::create($root,  rand(), "test album");