diff --git a/src/lib/viewers/BaseViewer.js b/src/lib/viewers/BaseViewer.js
index 9377aa93f..09cb3cda5 100644
--- a/src/lib/viewers/BaseViewer.js
+++ b/src/lib/viewers/BaseViewer.js
@@ -763,6 +763,21 @@ class BaseViewer extends EventEmitter {
         this.annotator.addListener('annotatorevent', this.handleAnnotatorEvents);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns whether or not user has permissions to load annotations on the current file
+     *
+     * @param {Object} permissions Permissions on the current file
+     * @return {boolean} Whether or not user has the correct permissions
+     */
+    hasAnnotationPermissions(permissions) {
+        if (!permissions) {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        const canViewAnnotations = !!(permissions.can_view_annotations_all || permissions.can_view_annotations_self);
+        return !permissions.can_annotate && !canViewAnnotations;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Returns whether or not annotations are enabled for this viewer.
      *
@@ -770,12 +785,7 @@ class BaseViewer extends EventEmitter {
      */
     areAnnotationsEnabled() {
         // Do not attempt to fetch annotations if the user cannot create or view annotations
-        const { permissions } = this.options.file;
-        if (
-            permissions &&
-            !permissions.can_annotate &&
-            !(permissions.can_view_annotations_all || permissions.can_view_annotations_self)
-        ) {
+        if (!this.hasAnnotationPermissions(this.options.file)) {
             return false;
         }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/viewers/__tests__/BaseViewer-test.js b/src/lib/viewers/__tests__/BaseViewer-test.js
index 566c1c82e..59d3c5744 100644
--- a/src/lib/viewers/__tests__/BaseViewer-test.js
+++ b/src/lib/viewers/__tests__/BaseViewer-test.js
@@ -910,6 +910,33 @@ describe('lib/viewers/BaseViewer', () => {
         })
     });
 
+    describe('hasAnnotationPermissions()', () => {
+        const permissions = {
+            can_annotate: false,
+            can_view_annotations_all: false,
+            can_view_annotations_self: false
+        };
+
+        it('does nothing if file permissions are undefined', () => {
+            expect(base.hasAnnotationPermissions()).to.be.falsy;
+        });
+
+        it('should return false if the user can neither annotate nor view all or their own annotations', () => {
+            expect(base.hasAnnotationPermissions(permissions)).to.be.falsy;
+        });
+
+        it('should return true if the user can at least view all annotations', () => {
+            permissions.can_view_annotations_all = true;
+            expect(base.hasAnnotationPermissions(permissions)).to.be.truthy;
+        });
+
+        it('should return true if the user can at least view their own annotations', () => {
+            permissions.can_view_annotations_all = false;
+            permissions.can_view_annotations_self = true;
+            expect(base.hasAnnotationPermissions(permissions)).to.be.truthy;
+        });
+    });
+
     describe('areAnnotationsEnabled()', () => {
         beforeEach(() => {
             stubs.getViewerOption = sandbox.stub(base, 'getViewerOption').withArgs('annotations').returns(false);
@@ -920,24 +947,6 @@ describe('lib/viewers/BaseViewer', () => {
             };
         });
 
-        it('should return false if the user can neither annotate nor view all or their own annotations', () => {
-            stubs.getViewerOption.returns(true);
-
-            base.options.file.permissions = {
-                can_annotate: false,
-                can_view_annotations_all: false,
-                can_view_annotations_self: false
-            };
-            expect(base.areAnnotationsEnabled()).to.equal(false);
-
-            base.options.file.permissions.can_view_annotations_all = true;
-            expect(base.areAnnotationsEnabled()).to.equal(true);
-
-            base.options.file.permissions.can_view_annotations_all = false;
-            base.options.file.permissions.can_view_annotations_self = true;
-            expect(base.areAnnotationsEnabled()).to.equal(true);
-        });
-
         it('should return true if viewer option is set to true', () => {
             expect(base.areAnnotationsEnabled()).to.equal(false);
             stubs.getViewerOption.returns(true);