diff --git a/askbot/jinja2/question/answer_controls.html b/askbot/jinja2/question/answer_controls.html
index 7236190a0e..df12d147e1 100644
--- a/askbot/jinja2/question/answer_controls.html
+++ b/askbot/jinja2/question/answer_controls.html
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
   >
     {% if answer.deleted %}{% trans %}undelete{% endtrans %}{% else %}{% trans %}delete{% endtrans %}{% endif %}
   </span>
-  {% if request.user.is_authenticated and request.user.is_post_moderator(answer) %}
+  {% if settings.GROUPS_ENABLED %}
     {% set is_published=(answer.id in published_answer_ids) %}
     <span
       id="js-post-publish-btn-{{answer.id}}"
@@ -24,6 +24,11 @@
         {% trans %}publish{% endtrans %}</a>
       {% endif %}
     </span>
+    {% if request.user.is_anonymous or not request.user.can_publish_group_private_post(question) %}
+      <script type="text/javascript">
+        document.getElementById("js-post-publish-btn-" + '{{answer.pk}}').remove();
+      </script>
+    {% endif %}
   {% endif %}
   <a class="action-link with-link-icon"
     href="{{ answer.get_absolute_url(question_post=question) }}"
diff --git a/askbot/jinja2/question/head_javascript.html b/askbot/jinja2/question/head_javascript.html
index 914c742c84..ab7983ad9a 100644
--- a/askbot/jinja2/question/head_javascript.html
+++ b/askbot/jinja2/question/head_javascript.html
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@
           if (vote === -1){
             var downvoteBtn = document.getElementById('js-post-downvote-btn-' + postId);
             downvoteBtn.className += ' js-active';
-          } 
+          }
           if (vote === 1){
             var upvoteBtn = document.getElementById('js-post-upvote-btn-' + postId);
             upvoteBtn.className += ' js-active';
@@ -161,15 +161,6 @@
       }
     }
 
-    function hidePublishPostLinks() {
-      if (data['userIsThreadModerator'] === false) {
-        document.querySelectorAll('.js-publish-post')
-          .forEach(function(el) { el.remove(); });
-        document.querySelectorAll('.js-unpublish-post')
-          .forEach(function(el) { el.remove(); });
-      }
-    }
-
     function removeCommentControls(postId) {
       var post = document.getElementById('js-post-' + postId);
       var editLinks = findChildrenByClassName(post, 'js-comment-edit-btn');
@@ -339,6 +330,5 @@
     askbot['functions']['renderAddAnswerButton'] = renderAddAnswerButton;
     askbot['functions']['hideConvertLinks'] = hideConvertLinks;
     askbot['functions']['hideConvertAnswerLinks'] = hideConvertAnswerLinks;
-    askbot['functions']['hidePublishPostLinks'] = hidePublishPostLinks;
   })();
 </script>
diff --git a/askbot/jinja2/question/question_controls.html b/askbot/jinja2/question/question_controls.html
index 362caa5956..b2c4afd59d 100644
--- a/askbot/jinja2/question/question_controls.html
+++ b/askbot/jinja2/question/question_controls.html
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     class="action-link js-edit with-edit-icon"
   >{% trans %}edit{% endtrans %}</span>
   {{ macros.post_flag_buttons(question) }}
-  {% if request.user.is_authenticated and request.user.is_post_moderator(question) %}
+  {% if settings.GROUPS_ENABLED %}
     {% set is_published=(not question.is_private()) %}
     <span
       id="js-post-publish-btn-{{question.pk}}"
@@ -17,6 +17,11 @@
         {% trans %}publish{% endtrans %}</a>
       {% endif %}
     </span>
+    {% if request.user.is_anonymous or not request.user.can_publish_group_private_post(question) %}
+      <script type="text/javascript">
+        document.getElementById("js-post-publish-btn-" + '{{question.pk}}').remove();
+      </script>
+    {% endif %}
   {% endif %}
   {% if thread.closed %}
     <a id="js-question-close-btn-{{question.id}}"
@@ -29,7 +34,7 @@
       href="{{ url('close',  question.id ) }}"
     >{% trans %}close{% endtrans %}</a>
   {% endif %}
-  <a 
+  <a
     id="js-question-merge-btn-{{question.id}}"
     class="action-link js-question-merge-btn with-merge-icon"
   >{% trans %}merge{% endtrans %}</a>
@@ -40,6 +45,5 @@
   >{% if question.deleted %}{% trans %}undelete{% endtrans %}{% else %}{% trans %}delete{% endtrans %}{% endif %}</a>
   <script type="text/javascript">
     askbot.functions.renderPostControls('{{question.id}}'{{ ', true' if question.wiki }});
-    askbot.functions.hidePublishPostLinks();
   </script>
 </div>
diff --git a/askbot/models/__init__.py b/askbot/models/__init__.py
index 2ed4f14dd9..82cf947190 100644
--- a/askbot/models/__init__.py
+++ b/askbot/models/__init__.py
@@ -2994,6 +2994,30 @@ def user_can_make_group_private_posts(self):
     return (self.get_primary_group() != None)
 
 
+def user_can_publish_group_private_post(self, post):
+    """
+    Users not belonging to a non-personal private group
+    cannot publish group private posts.
+
+    Of the users who have private group,
+    admins/mods and the author of the post can publish/unpublish.
+
+    Note: there may be unexpected consequences if the site
+    has > 1 "private groups".
+
+    A private post for one group may be taken over by the admins
+    of other group.
+    """
+    group = self.get_primary_group()
+    if not group:
+        return False
+
+    if self.is_administrator_or_moderator():
+        return True
+
+    return post.author_id == self.pk
+
+
 def user_request_account_termination(self):
     """Notifies admins about user account termination"""
     msg_template = _('User %(username)s, id=%(id)s, %(email)s '
@@ -3718,6 +3742,7 @@ def user_is_group_member(self, group=None):
 User.add_to_class('can_post_comment', user_can_post_comment)
 User.add_to_class('can_post_question', user_can_post_question)
 User.add_to_class('can_make_group_private_posts', user_can_make_group_private_posts)
+User.add_to_class('can_publish_group_private_post', user_can_publish_group_private_post)
 User.add_to_class('is_administrator', user_is_administrator)
 User.add_to_class('is_administrator_or_moderator', user_is_administrator_or_moderator)
 User.add_to_class('is_admin_or_mod', user_is_administrator_or_moderator) #shorter version
diff --git a/askbot/views/commands.py b/askbot/views/commands.py
index 9eca744500..fd6ed4c9c7 100644
--- a/askbot/views/commands.py
+++ b/askbot/views/commands.py
@@ -1413,31 +1413,30 @@ def get_editor(request):
 @decorators.post_only
 def publish_post(request):
     """will publish or unpublish post"""
-    denied_msg = _('Sorry, only thread moderators can use this function')
+    denied_msg = _('Sorry, only thread moderators or post owners can use this function')
+
+    if request.user.is_anonymous:
+        raise exceptions.PermissionDenied(denied_msg)
 
-    if request.user.is_authenticated:
-        if request.user.is_administrator_or_moderator() is False:
-            raise exceptions.PermissionDenied(denied_msg)
-    #todo: assert permission
     post_id = IntegerField().clean(request.POST['post_id'])
     post = models.Post.objects.get(pk=post_id)
 
-    if post.thread.has_moderator(request.user) is False:
+    if not request.user.can_publish_group_private_post(post):
         raise exceptions.PermissionDenied(denied_msg)
 
     # there used to be an experiment where questions were asked
     # privately to a group - i.e. the question was visible to the
     # inquirer and the group only. When the answer was published
-    # it was shared with the enquirer
+    # it was shared with the inquirer
     # Now the code is switched to a simpler mode -
     # "published" === visible to the "everyone" group.
     # (and used to be "published" -> visible to the enquirer).
-    #enquirer = answer.thread._question_post().author
-    #enquirer_group = enquirer.get_personal_group()
+    #inquirer = answer.thread._question_post().author
+    #inquirer_group = enquirer.get_personal_group()
 
     if askbot_settings.GROUPS_ENABLED:
         if post.is_private():
-            #answer.add_to_groups([enquirer_group])
+            #answer.add_to_groups([inquirer_group])
             if post.post_type == 'question':
                 post.thread.make_public()
             else:
@@ -1445,7 +1444,7 @@ def publish_post(request):
 
             message = _('The post is now published')
         else:
-            #answer.remove_from_groups([enquirer_group])
+            #answer.remove_from_groups([inquirer_group])
             if post.post_type == 'question':
                 post.thread.make_private(request.user)
             else: