diff --git a/forge/comms/aclManager.js b/forge/comms/aclManager.js
index 51e8349e45..f75b60c756 100644
--- a/forge/comms/aclManager.js
+++ b/forge/comms/aclManager.js
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@
  * Other components (ie EE-specific features) can register their own additional ACLs
  */
 module.exports = function (app) {
-    const expertRbacToolCheck = async (teamMembership, application, toolName) => {
+    const expertRbacToolCheck = async (teamMembership, toolName, application) => {
+        const applicationCheck = typeof application !== 'undefined'
         const applicationHash = typeof application === 'object' ? application.hashid : application
         if (toolName === 'expert:status-message') {
             return true
@@ -20,8 +21,15 @@ module.exports = function (app) {
             'automation:get-flows': 'project:flows:view'
         }
         const requiredPermission = toolAccessPermission[toolName] || 'project:flows:edit' // default to highest level of access if tool isn't in the list, to be safe
-        if (!app.hasPermission(teamMembership, requiredPermission, { applicationId: applicationHash })) {
-            return false
+
+        if (applicationCheck) {
+            if (!app.hasPermission(teamMembership, requiredPermission, { applicationId: applicationHash })) {
+                return false
+            }
+        } else {
+            if (!app.hasPermission(teamMembership, requiredPermission)) {
+                return false
+            }
         }
         return true
     }
@@ -265,7 +273,6 @@ module.exports = function (app) {
                         throw ValidationError('team does not exist')
                     } else {
                         teamId = team.id
-                        applicationHash = null // NA
                     }
                 } else {
                     throw ValidationError('invalid entity')
@@ -293,7 +300,7 @@ module.exports = function (app) {
 
                     // if this is an inflight channel messages we must validate the user has appropriate RBAC permission
                     if (isInflight) {
-                        const result = await expertRbacToolCheck(teamMembership, applicationHash, inflightType)
+                        const result = await expertRbacToolCheck(teamMembership, inflightType, applicationHash)
                         if (!result) {
                             throw ValidationError('user does not have permission to access this inflight topic')
                         }