diff --git a/SoObjects/SOGo/SOGoObject.h b/SoObjects/SOGo/SOGoObject.h
index 2daaa8abb..44e30bfa4 100644
--- a/SoObjects/SOGo/SOGoObject.h
+++ b/SoObjects/SOGo/SOGoObject.h
@@ -98,6 +98,10 @@
 - (void) setOwner: (NSString *) newOwner;
 - (NSString *) ownerInContext: (id) _ctx;
 
+/* a helper that determines whether access rights can be ignored on
+   an object */ 
+- (BOOL) ignoreRights;
+
 /* looking up shared objects */
 
 - (SOGoUserFolder *) lookupUserFolder;
diff --git a/SoObjects/SOGo/SOGoObject.m b/SoObjects/SOGo/SOGoObject.m
index da6547c84..f48aadd32 100644
--- a/SoObjects/SOGo/SOGoObject.m
+++ b/SoObjects/SOGo/SOGoObject.m
@@ -229,6 +229,25 @@
   return owner;
 }
 
+- (BOOL) ignoreRights
+{
+  SOGoUser *currentUser;
+  NSString *login;
+  BOOL ignoreRights;
+
+  if (activeUserIsOwner)
+    ignoreRights = YES;
+  else
+    {
+      currentUser = [context activeUser];
+      login = [currentUser login];
+      ignoreRights = ([login isEqualToString: [self ownerInContext: context]]
+                      || [currentUser isSuperUser]);
+    }
+
+  return ignoreRights;
+}
+
 - (BOOL) isInPublicZone
 {
   if (!isInPublicZone)