diff --git a/redash/handlers/alerts.py b/redash/handlers/alerts.py
index cc6bc9f1f1..8dd3ec1c8e 100644
--- a/redash/handlers/alerts.py
+++ b/redash/handlers/alerts.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 class AlertResource(BaseResource):
     def get(self, alert_id):
         alert = get_object_or_404(models.Alert.get_by_id_and_org, alert_id, self.current_org)
-        require_access(alert.groups, self.current_user, view_only)
+        require_access(alert, self.current_user, view_only)
         self.record_event({
             'action': 'view',
             'object_id': alert.id,
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ def post(self):
 
         query = models.Query.get_by_id_and_org(req['query_id'],
                                                self.current_org)
-        require_access(query.groups, self.current_user, view_only)
+        require_access(query, self.current_user, view_only)
 
         alert = models.Alert(
             name=req['name'],
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ def post(self, alert_id):
         req = request.get_json(True)
 
         alert = models.Alert.get_by_id_and_org(alert_id, self.current_org)
-        require_access(alert.groups, self.current_user, view_only)
+        require_access(alert, self.current_user, view_only)
         kwargs = {'alert': alert, 'user': self.current_user}
 
         if 'destination_id' in req:
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ def post(self, alert_id):
     def get(self, alert_id):
         alert_id = int(alert_id)
         alert = models.Alert.get_by_id_and_org(alert_id, self.current_org)
-        require_access(alert.groups, self.current_user, view_only)
+        require_access(alert, self.current_user, view_only)
 
         subscriptions = models.AlertSubscription.all(alert_id)
         return [s.to_dict() for s in subscriptions]
diff --git a/redash/handlers/data_sources.py b/redash/handlers/data_sources.py
index 3862d1a6ef..1324d092dd 100644
--- a/redash/handlers/data_sources.py
+++ b/redash/handlers/data_sources.py
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ def post(self):
 class DataSourceSchemaResource(BaseResource):
     def get(self, data_source_id):
         data_source = get_object_or_404(models.DataSource.get_by_id_and_org, data_source_id, self.current_org)
-        require_access(data_source.groups, self.current_user, view_only)
+        require_access(data_source, self.current_user, view_only)
         refresh = request.args.get('refresh') is not None
 
         response = {}
diff --git a/redash/handlers/favorites.py b/redash/handlers/favorites.py
index 627c75bf73..1c2eff32b3 100644
--- a/redash/handlers/favorites.py
+++ b/redash/handlers/favorites.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 class QueryFavoriteResource(BaseResource):
     def post(self, query_id):
         query = get_object_or_404(models.Query.get_by_id_and_org, query_id, self.current_org)
-        require_access(query.groups, self.current_user, view_only)
+        require_access(query, self.current_user, view_only)
 
         fav = models.Favorite(org_id=self.current_org.id, object=query, user=self.current_user)
         models.db.session.add(fav)
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ def post(self, query_id):
 
     def delete(self, query_id):
         query = get_object_or_404(models.Query.get_by_id_and_org, query_id, self.current_org)
-        require_access(query.groups, self.current_user, view_only)
+        require_access(query, self.current_user, view_only)
 
         models.Favorite.query.filter(
             models.Favorite.object_id == query_id,
diff --git a/redash/handlers/queries.py b/redash/handlers/queries.py
index b18acc1bf4..d204e51eff 100644
--- a/redash/handlers/queries.py
+++ b/redash/handlers/queries.py
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ def post(self):
         """
         query_def = request.get_json(force=True)
         data_source = models.DataSource.get_by_id_and_org(query_def.pop('data_source_id'), self.current_org)
-        require_access(data_source.groups, self.current_user, not_view_only)
+        require_access(data_source, self.current_user, not_view_only)
         require_access_to_dropdown_queries(self.current_user, query_def)
 
         for field in ['id', 'created_at', 'api_key', 'visualizations', 'latest_query_data', 'last_modified_by']:
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ def get(self, query_id):
         Responds with the :ref:`query <query-response-label>` contents.
         """
         q = get_object_or_404(models.Query.get_by_id_and_org, query_id, self.current_org)
-        require_access(q.groups, self.current_user, view_only)
+        require_access(q, self.current_user, view_only)
 
         result = QuerySerializer(q, with_visualizations=True).serialize()
         result['can_edit'] = can_modify(q, self.current_user)
@@ -393,7 +393,7 @@ def post(self, query_id):
         Responds with created :ref:`query <query-response-label>` object.
         """
         query = get_object_or_404(models.Query.get_by_id_and_org, query_id, self.current_org)
-        require_access(query.data_source.groups, self.current_user, not_view_only)
+        require_access(query.data_source, self.current_user, not_view_only)
         forked_query = query.fork(self.current_user)
         models.db.session.commit()
 
@@ -422,7 +422,7 @@ def post(self, query_id):
             abort(403, message="Please use a user API key.")
 
         query = get_object_or_404(models.Query.get_by_id_and_org, query_id, self.current_org)
-        require_access(query.groups, self.current_user, not_view_only)
+        require_access(query, self.current_user, not_view_only)
 
         parameter_values = collect_parameters_from_request(request.args)
         parameterized_query = ParameterizedQuery(query.query_text)
diff --git a/redash/handlers/query_results.py b/redash/handlers/query_results.py
index 436a3edfb7..a4bfc8d073 100644
--- a/redash/handlers/query_results.py
+++ b/redash/handlers/query_results.py
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ def post(self):
 
         data_source = models.DataSource.get_by_id_and_org(params.get('data_source_id'), self.current_org)
 
-        if not has_access(data_source.groups, self.current_user, not_view_only):
+        if not has_access(data_source, self.current_user, not_view_only):
             return {'job': {'status': 4, 'error': 'You do not have permission to run queries with this data source.'}}, 403
 
         self.record_event({
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ def post(self, query_id):
 
         allow_executing_with_view_only_permissions = query.parameterized.is_safe
 
-        if has_access(query.data_source.groups, self.current_user, allow_executing_with_view_only_permissions):
+        if has_access(query.data_source, self.current_user, allow_executing_with_view_only_permissions):
             return run_query(query.parameterized, parameters, query.data_source, query_id, max_age)
         else:
             return {'job': {'status': 4, 'error': 'You do not have permission to run queries with this data source.'}}, 403
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ def get(self, query_id=None, query_result_id=None, filetype='json'):
                     abort(404, message='No cached result found for this query.')
 
         if query_result:
-            require_access(query_result.data_source.groups, self.current_user, view_only)
+            require_access(query_result.data_source, self.current_user, view_only)
 
             if isinstance(self.current_user, models.ApiUser):
                 event = {
diff --git a/redash/handlers/widgets.py b/redash/handlers/widgets.py
index ef81d7cb88..0949cc59fb 100644
--- a/redash/handlers/widgets.py
+++ b/redash/handlers/widgets.py
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ def post(self):
         visualization_id = widget_properties.pop('visualization_id')
         if visualization_id:
             visualization = models.Visualization.get_by_id_and_org(visualization_id, self.current_org)
-            require_access(visualization.query_rel.groups, self.current_user, view_only)
+            require_access(visualization.query_rel, self.current_user, view_only)
         else:
             visualization = None
 
diff --git a/redash/models/parameterized_query.py b/redash/models/parameterized_query.py
index 7dc955025f..d3ff757f0f 100644
--- a/redash/models/parameterized_query.py
+++ b/redash/models/parameterized_query.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ def _load_result(query_id, should_require_access):
     query = models.Query.get_by_id_and_org(query_id, current_org)
 
     if should_require_access:
-        require_access(query.data_source.groups, current_user, view_only)
+        require_access(query.data_source, current_user, view_only)
 
     query_result = models.QueryResult.get_by_id_and_org(query.latest_query_data_id, current_org)
 
diff --git a/redash/permissions.py b/redash/permissions.py
index d8d2b8df7d..7118a6b83d 100644
--- a/redash/permissions.py
+++ b/redash/permissions.py
@@ -14,24 +14,26 @@
 ACCESS_TYPES = (ACCESS_TYPE_VIEW, ACCESS_TYPE_MODIFY, ACCESS_TYPE_DELETE)
 
 
-def has_access(object_groups, user, need_view_only):
+def has_access(obj, user, need_view_only):
+    groups = obj.groups if hasattr(obj, 'groups') else obj
+
     if 'admin' in user.permissions:
         return True
 
-    matching_groups = set(object_groups.keys()).intersection(user.group_ids)
+    matching_groups = set(groups.keys()).intersection(user.group_ids)
 
     if not matching_groups:
         return False
 
     required_level = 1 if need_view_only else 2
 
-    group_level = 1 if all(flatten([object_groups[group] for group in matching_groups])) else 2
+    group_level = 1 if all(flatten([groups[group] for group in matching_groups])) else 2
 
     return required_level <= group_level
 
 
-def require_access(object_groups, user, need_view_only):
-    if not has_access(object_groups, user, need_view_only):
+def require_access(obj, user, need_view_only):
+    if not has_access(obj, user, need_view_only):
         abort(403)
 
 
diff --git a/redash/query_runner/query_results.py b/redash/query_runner/query_results.py
index 2e8b95432f..502ede831a 100644
--- a/redash/query_runner/query_results.py
+++ b/redash/query_runner/query_results.py
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ def _load_query(user, query_id):
     if user.org_id != query.org_id:
         raise PermissionError("Query id {} not found.".format(query.id))
 
-    if not has_access(query.data_source.groups, user, not_view_only):
+    if not has_access(query.data_source, user, not_view_only):
         raise PermissionError(u"You are not allowed to execute queries on {} data source (used for query id {}).".format(
             query.data_source.name, query.id))
 
diff --git a/redash/serializers.py b/redash/serializers.py
index f1f01f3313..81e1df38d2 100644
--- a/redash/serializers.py
+++ b/redash/serializers.py
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ def serialize_dashboard(obj, with_widgets=False, user=None, with_favorite_state=
         for w in obj.widgets:
             if w.visualization_id is None:
                 widgets.append(serialize_widget(w))
-            elif user and has_access(w.visualization.query_rel.groups, user, view_only):
+            elif user and has_access(w.visualization.query_rel, user, view_only):
                 widgets.append(serialize_widget(w))
             else:
                 widget = project(serialize_widget(w),