diff --git a/app/models/discussion_topic.rb b/app/models/discussion_topic.rb
index d59e467dd98..9da43896188 100644
--- a/app/models/discussion_topic.rb
+++ b/app/models/discussion_topic.rb
@@ -772,7 +772,7 @@ class DiscussionTopic < ActiveRecord::Base
         self.context.grants_right?(user, session, :post_to_forum) && self.visible_for?(user)}
     can :reply and can :read
 
-    given { |user, session| self.context.grants_right?(user, session, :post_to_forum) && self.visible_for?(user)}
+    given { |user, session| self.context.grants_any_right?(user, session, :read_forum, :post_to_forum) && self.visible_for?(user)}
     can :read
 
     given { |user, session|
@@ -966,8 +966,9 @@ class DiscussionTopic < ActiveRecord::Base
     # user is the topic's author
     return true if user == self.user
 
-    # user is an admin in the context (teacher/ta/designer)
-    return true if context.grants_right?(user, :manage)
+    # user is an admin in the context (teacher/ta/designer) OR
+    # user is an account admin with appropriate permission
+    return true if context.grants_any_right?(user, :manage, :read_course_content)
 
     # assignment exists and isnt assigned to user (differentiated assignments)
     if for_assignment? && !self.assignment.visible_to_user?(user)
diff --git a/spec/models/discussion_topic_spec.rb b/spec/models/discussion_topic_spec.rb
index 60f65f84b6c..d9de61978a3 100644
--- a/spec/models/discussion_topic_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/discussion_topic_spec.rb
@@ -199,6 +199,25 @@ describe DiscussionTopic do
       expect(@topic.visible_for?(new_teacher)).to be_truthy
     end
 
+    it "unpublished topics should not be visible to custom account admins by default" do
+      @topic.unpublish
+
+      account = @course.root_account
+      nobody_role = custom_account_role('NobodyAdmin', account: account)
+      admin = account_admin_user(account: account, role: nobody_role, active_user: true)
+      expect(@topic.visible_for?(admin)).to be_falsey
+    end
+
+    it "unpublished topics should be visible to account admins with :read_course_content permission" do
+      @topic.unpublish
+
+      account = @course.root_account
+      nobody_role = custom_account_role('NobodyAdmin', account: account)
+      account_with_role_changes(account: account, role: nobody_role, role_changes: { read_course_content: true })
+      admin = account_admin_user(account: account, role: nobody_role, active_user: true)
+      expect(@topic.visible_for?(admin)).to be_truthy
+    end
+
     context "differentiated assignements" do
       before do
         @course = course(:active_course => true)