diff --git a/includes/menu.inc b/includes/menu.inc
index ab35a34326ecc03c6f8fd5341c590e3666c71dd4..6d71f84c2a10c879ff81738dab78e6256fca0b70 100644
--- a/includes/menu.inc
+++ b/includes/menu.inc
@@ -870,7 +870,7 @@ function menu_primary_links($start_level = 1, $pid = 0) {
   }
 
   // Special case - provide link to admin/build/menu if primary links is empty.
-  if (empty($links) && $start_level == 1 && $pid == variable_get('menu_primary_menu', 0)) {
+  if (empty($links) && $start_level == 1 && $pid == variable_get('menu_primary_menu', 0) && user_access('administer menu')) {
     $links['1-1'] = array(
       'title' => t('edit primary links'),
       'href' => 'admin/build/menu'