diff --git a/db/migrate/20170419144536_add_view_messages_to_all_existing_roles.rb b/db/migrate/20170419144536_add_view_messages_to_all_existing_roles.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d010ba497
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/migrate/20170419144536_add_view_messages_to_all_existing_roles.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+class AddViewMessagesToAllExistingRoles < ActiveRecord::Migration
+  def up
+    Role.all.each { |role| role.add_permission! :view_messages }
+  end
+
+  def down
+    # nothing to revert
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/redmine.rb b/lib/redmine.rb
index e3ff60fd1..6c53cfb19 100644
--- a/lib/redmine.rb
+++ b/lib/redmine.rb
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ Redmine::AccessControl.map do |map|
   end
 
   map.project_module :boards do |map|
-    map.permission :view_messages, {:boards => [:index, :show], :messages => [:show]}, :public => true, :read => true
+    map.permission :view_messages, {:boards => [:index, :show], :messages => [:show]}, :read => true
     map.permission :add_messages, {:messages => [:new, :reply, :quote], :attachments => :upload}
     map.permission :edit_messages, {:messages => :edit, :attachments => :upload}, :require => :member
     map.permission :edit_own_messages, {:messages => :edit, :attachments => :upload}, :require => :loggedin
diff --git a/lib/redmine/default_data/loader.rb b/lib/redmine/default_data/loader.rb
index 0d36dbba8..18e707908 100644
--- a/lib/redmine/default_data/loader.rb
+++ b/lib/redmine/default_data/loader.rb
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ module Redmine
                                                       :view_wiki_edits,
                                                       :edit_wiki_pages,
                                                       :delete_wiki_pages,
+                                                      :view_messages,
                                                       :add_messages,
                                                       :edit_own_messages,
                                                       :view_files,
@@ -94,6 +95,7 @@ module Redmine
                                                     :view_documents,
                                                     :view_wiki_pages,
                                                     :view_wiki_edits,
+                                                    :view_messages,
                                                     :add_messages,
                                                     :edit_own_messages,
                                                     :view_files,
@@ -111,6 +113,7 @@ module Redmine
                                                             :view_documents,
                                                             :view_wiki_pages,
                                                             :view_wiki_edits,
+                                                            :view_messages,
                                                             :add_messages,
                                                             :view_files,
                                                             :browse_repository,
@@ -123,6 +126,7 @@ module Redmine
                                                            :view_documents,
                                                            :view_wiki_pages,
                                                            :view_wiki_edits,
+                                                           :view_messages,
                                                            :view_files,
                                                            :browse_repository,
                                                            :view_changesets]
diff --git a/test/fixtures/roles.yml b/test/fixtures/roles.yml
index 0ed7aa13b..2365795b3 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/roles.yml
+++ b/test/fixtures/roles.yml
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ roles_001:
     - :protect_wiki_pages
     - :delete_wiki_pages
     - :rename_wiki_pages
+    - :view_messages
     - :add_messages
     - :edit_messages
     - :delete_messages
@@ -102,6 +103,7 @@ roles_002:
     - :edit_wiki_pages
     - :protect_wiki_pages
     - :delete_wiki_pages
+    - :view_messages
     - :add_messages
     - :edit_own_messages
     - :delete_own_messages
@@ -145,6 +147,7 @@ roles_003:
     - :view_wiki_edits
     - :edit_wiki_pages
     - :delete_wiki_pages
+    - :view_messages
     - :add_messages
     - :manage_boards
     - :view_files
@@ -176,6 +179,7 @@ roles_004:
     - :view_wiki_pages
     - :view_wiki_edits
     - :edit_wiki_pages
+    - :view_messages
     - :add_messages
     - :view_files
     - :manage_files
@@ -199,6 +203,7 @@ roles_005:
     - :view_documents
     - :view_wiki_pages
     - :view_wiki_edits
+    - :view_messages
     - :view_files
     - :browse_repository
     - :view_changesets