diff --git a/services/api/src/resources/deploytargetconfig/resolvers.ts b/services/api/src/resources/deploytargetconfig/resolvers.ts
index 6b3fb93527..7e2efdc1f3 100644
--- a/services/api/src/resources/deploytargetconfig/resolvers.ts
+++ b/services/api/src/resources/deploytargetconfig/resolvers.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import { Sql as EnvironmentSql } from '../environment/sql'
 import { Helpers as projectHelpers } from '../project/helpers';
 import { Helpers as organizationHelpers } from '../organization/helpers';
 
-
 export const getDeployTargetConfigById = async (
   root,
   args,
@@ -26,9 +25,7 @@ export const getDeployTargetConfigById = async (
   // since deploytargetconfigs are associated to a project
   // re-use the existing `project:view` permissions check, since the same sorts of fields
   // are viewable by the same permissions at the project scope
-  await hasPermission('project', 'view', {
-    project: deployTargetConfig.project
-  });
+  await projectHelpers(sqlClientPool).checkOrgProjectViewPermission(hasPermission, deployTargetConfig.project)
 
   return deployTargetConfig;
 };
@@ -47,9 +44,7 @@ export const getDeployTargetConfigsByProjectId: ResolverFn = async (
   // since deploytargetconfigs are associated to a project
   // re-use the existing `project:view` permissions check, since the same sorts of fields
   // are viewable by the same permissions at the project scope
-  await hasPermission('project', 'view', {
-    project: pid
-  });
+  await projectHelpers(sqlClientPool).checkOrgProjectViewPermission(hasPermission, pid)
 
   const rows = await query(sqlClientPool, Sql.selectDeployTargetConfigsByProjectId(pid));
 
@@ -196,9 +191,7 @@ export const addDeployTargetConfig: ResolverFn = async (
   // since deploytargetconfigs are associated to a project
   // re-use the existing `project:update` permissions check, since the same sorts of fields
   // are updateable by the same permissions at the project scope
-  await hasPermission('project', 'update', {
-    project: project
-  });
+  await projectHelpers(sqlClientPool).checkOrgProjectUpdatePermission(hasPermission, project)
 
   // check the project has an organization id, if it does, check that the organization supports the requested deploytarget
   await checkProjectDeployTargetByOrg(project, deployTarget, sqlClientPool)
@@ -246,9 +239,7 @@ export const deleteDeployTargetConfig: ResolverFn = async (
   // re-use the existing `project:update` permissions check, since the same sorts of fields
   // are updateable by the same permissions at the project scope
   // deleting a deploytargetconfig from a project is classed as updating the project
-  await hasPermission('project', 'update', {
-    project: project
-  });
+  await projectHelpers(sqlClientPool).checkOrgProjectUpdatePermission(hasPermission, project)
 
   try {
     await query(sqlClientPool, 'DELETE FROM deploy_target_config WHERE id = :id', {
@@ -292,9 +283,7 @@ export const updateDeployTargetConfig: ResolverFn = async (
   // since deploytargetconfigs are associated to a project
   // re-use the existing `project:update` permissions check, since the same sorts of fields
   // are updateable by the same permissions at the project scope
-  await hasPermission('project', 'update', {
-    project: deployTargetConfig.project
-  });
+  await projectHelpers(sqlClientPool).checkOrgProjectUpdatePermission(hasPermission, deployTargetConfig.project)
 
   // check the project has an organization id, if it does, check that the organization supports the requested deploytarget
   await checkProjectDeployTargetByOrg(deployTargetConfig.project, deployTarget, sqlClientPool)
diff --git a/services/api/src/resources/project/helpers.ts b/services/api/src/resources/project/helpers.ts
index 1d3d9ecb82..69c7d89e83 100644
--- a/services/api/src/resources/project/helpers.ts
+++ b/services/api/src/resources/project/helpers.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,47 @@ import { Sql } from './sql';
 // import { logger } from '../../loggers/logger';
 
 export const Helpers = (sqlClientPool: Pool) => {
+  const checkOrgProjectViewPermission = async (hasPermission, pid) => {
+    // helper that allows fall through of permission check
+    // for viewProject:organization to view:project
+    // this allows queries to be performed by organization owners
+    // then falling through to the default project view for general users
+    const rows = await query(sqlClientPool, Sql.selectProject(pid));
+    const project = rows[0];
+    if (project.organization != null) {
+      try {
+        await hasPermission('organization', 'viewProject', {
+          organization: project.organization
+        });
+        // if the organization owner has permission to view project, return
+        return
+      } catch (err) {
+        // otherwise fall through to project view permission check
+      }
+    }
+    // finally check the user view:project permission
+    await hasPermission('project', 'view', {
+      project: project.id
+    });
+  }
+  const checkOrgProjectUpdatePermission = async (hasPermission, pid) => {
+    // helper checks the permission to updateProject:organization
+    // or the update:project permission
+    const rows = await query(sqlClientPool, Sql.selectProject(pid));
+    const project = rows[0];
+    if (project.organization != null) {
+      // if the project is in an organization, only the organization owner should be able to do this
+      await hasPermission('organization', 'updateProject', {
+        organization: project.organization
+      });
+    } else {
+      // if not in a project, follow the standard rbac
+      await hasPermission('project', 'update', {
+        project: project.id
+      });
+    }
+  }
+
   const aliasOpenshiftToK8s = (projects: any[]) => {
     return projects.map(project => {
       return {
@@ -52,6 +93,8 @@ export const Helpers = (sqlClientPool: Pool) => {
     query(sqlClientPool, Sql.selectProjectsByIds(projectIds));
 
   return {
+    checkOrgProjectViewPermission,
+    checkOrgProjectUpdatePermission,
     aliasOpenshiftToK8s,
     getProjectById,
     getProjectsByIds,
diff --git a/services/api/src/resources/project/resolvers.ts b/services/api/src/resources/project/resolvers.ts
index a925bfa370..2c8c02ceb1 100644
--- a/services/api/src/resources/project/resolvers.ts
+++ b/services/api/src/resources/project/resolvers.ts
@@ -124,19 +124,7 @@ export const getProjectByEnvironmentId: ResolverFn = async (
 
   const project = withK8s[0];
 
-  try {
-    await hasPermission('project', 'view', {
-      project: project.id
-    });
-  } catch (err) {
-    // if the user hasn't got permission to view the project, but the project is in the organization
-    // allow the user to get the project
-    if (project.organization != null) {
-      await hasPermission('organization', 'viewProject', {
-        organization: project.organization
-      });
-    }
-  }
+  await Helpers(sqlClientPool).checkOrgProjectViewPermission(hasPermission, project.id)
 
   return project;
 };
@@ -152,19 +140,7 @@ export const getProjectById: ResolverFn = async (
 
   const project = withK8s[0];
 
-  try {
-    await hasPermission('project', 'view', {
-      project: project.id
-    });
-  } catch (err) {
-    // if the user hasn't got permission to view the project, but the project is in the organization
-    // allow the user to get the project
-    if (project.organization != null) {
-      await hasPermission('organization', 'viewProject', {
-        organization: project.organization
-      });
-    }
-  }
+  await Helpers(sqlClientPool).checkOrgProjectViewPermission(hasPermission, project.id)
 
   return project;
 };
@@ -180,19 +156,7 @@ export const getProjectByGitUrl: ResolverFn = async (
 
   const project = withK8s[0];
 
-  try {
-    await hasPermission('project', 'view', {
-      project: project.id
-    });
-  } catch (err) {
-    // if the user hasn't got permission to view the project, but the project is in the organization
-    // allow the user to get the project
-    if (project.organization != null) {
-      await hasPermission('organization', 'viewProject', {
-        organization: project.organization
-      });
-    }
-  }
+  await Helpers(sqlClientPool).checkOrgProjectViewPermission(hasPermission, project.id)
 
   return project;
 };
@@ -211,19 +175,7 @@ export const getProjectByName: ResolverFn = async (
     return null;
   }
 
-  try {
-    await hasPermission('project', 'view', {
-      project: project.id
-    });
-  } catch (err) {
-    // if the user hasn't got permission to view the project, but the project is in the organization
-    // allow the user to get the project
-    if (project.organization != null) {
-      await hasPermission('organization', 'viewProject', {
-        organization: project.organization
-      });
-    }
-  }
+  await Helpers(sqlClientPool).checkOrgProjectViewPermission(hasPermission, project.id)
 
   return project;
 };