diff --git a/ckanext/datastore/db.py b/ckanext/datastore/db.py
index a1a40e2a8a3..764d0e71100 100644
--- a/ckanext/datastore/db.py
+++ b/ckanext/datastore/db.py
@@ -1158,12 +1158,24 @@ def search_sql(context, data_dict):
     timeout = context.get('query_timeout', _TIMEOUT)
     _cache_types(context)
 
+    sql = data_dict['sql'].replace('%', '%%')
+
     try:
+
         context['connection'].execute(
             u'SET LOCAL statement_timeout TO {0}'.format(timeout))
-        results = context['connection'].execute(
-            data_dict['sql'].replace('%', '%%')
-        )
+
+        table_names = datastore_helpers.get_table_names_from_sql(context, sql)
+        log.debug('Tables involved in input SQL: {0}'.format(table_names))
+
+        system_tables = [t for t in table_names if t.startswith('pg_')]
+        if len(system_tables):
+            raise toolkit.NotAuthorized({
+                'permissions': ['Not authorized to access system tables']
+            })
+
+        results = context['connection'].execute(sql)
+
         return format_results(context, results, data_dict)
 
     except ProgrammingError, e:
diff --git a/ckanext/datastore/tests/test_search.py b/ckanext/datastore/tests/test_search.py
index d504a79a7df..c56cd9e096f 100644
--- a/ckanext/datastore/tests/test_search.py
+++ b/ckanext/datastore/tests/test_search.py
@@ -945,3 +945,23 @@ def test_making_resource_private_makes_datastore_private(self):
                             extra_environ=auth)
         res_dict = json.loads(res.body)
         assert res_dict['success'] is True
+
+    def test_not_authorized_to_access_system_tables(self):
+        test_cases = [
+            'SELECT * FROM pg_roles',
+            'SELECT * FROM pg_catalog.pg_database',
+            'SELECT rolpassword FROM pg_roles',
+            '''SELECT p.rolpassword
+               FROM pg_roles p
+               JOIN "{0}" r
+               ON p.rolpassword = r.author'''.format(self.data['resource_id']),
+        ]
+        for query in test_cases:
+            data = {'sql': query.replace('\n', '')}
+            postparams = json.dumps(data)
+            res = self.app.post('/api/action/datastore_search_sql',
+                                params=postparams,
+                                status=403)
+            res_dict = json.loads(res.body)
+            assert res_dict['success'] is False
+            assert res_dict['error']['__type'] == 'Authorization Error'