diff --git a/cms/djangoapps/auth/authz.py b/cms/djangoapps/auth/authz.py
index fec25c5ba2..2f6f15cf63 100644
--- a/cms/djangoapps/auth/authz.py
+++ b/cms/djangoapps/auth/authz.py
@@ -87,7 +87,8 @@ def remove_user_from_course_group(caller, user, location, role):
 
 def is_user_in_course_group_role(user, location, role):
     if user.is_active and user.is_authenticated:
-        return user.groups.filter(name=get_course_groupname_for_role(location,role)).count() > 0
+        # all "is_staff" flagged accounts belong to all groups
+        return user.is_staff or user.groups.filter(name=get_course_groupname_for_role(location,role)).count() > 0
 
     return False
 
diff --git a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/views.py b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/views.py
index 61e18600a0..1443f37c2d 100644
--- a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/views.py
+++ b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/views.py
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ def index(request):
 def has_access(user, location, role=EDITOR_ROLE_NAME):
     '''Return True if user allowed to access this piece of data'''
     '''Note that the CMS permissions model is with respect to courses'''
+    '''There is a super-admin permissions if user.is_staff is set'''
     return is_user_in_course_group_role(user, get_course_location_for_item(location), role)