diff --git a/helpdesk/tests/test_ticket_actions.py b/helpdesk/tests/test_ticket_actions.py
index a5c82bf3..3f1d4154 100644
--- a/helpdesk/tests/test_ticket_actions.py
+++ b/helpdesk/tests/test_ticket_actions.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 from django.contrib.auth import get_user_model
+from django.contrib.sites.models import Site
 from django.core import mail
 from django.urls import reverse
 from django.test import TestCase
@@ -11,18 +12,20 @@ except ImportError:  # python 2
     from urlparse import urlparse
 
 from helpdesk.templatetags.ticket_to_link import num_to_link
+from helpdesk.views.staff import _is_my_ticket
 
 
 class TicketActionsTestCase(TestCase):
     fixtures = ['emailtemplate.json']
 
-    def setUp(self):
+    def setUp(self):      
         self.queue_public = Queue.objects.create(
             title='Queue 1',
             slug='q1',
             allow_public_submission=True,
             new_ticket_cc='new.public@example.com',
-            updated_ticket_cc='update.public@example.com')
+            updated_ticket_cc='update.public@example.com'
+        )
 
         self.ticket_data = {
             'title': 'Test Ticket',
@@ -32,6 +35,7 @@ class TicketActionsTestCase(TestCase):
         self.client = Client()
 
     def loginUser(self, is_staff=True):
+        """Create a staff user and login"""
         User = get_user_model()
         self.user = User.objects.create(
             username='User_1',
@@ -123,6 +127,32 @@ class TicketActionsTestCase(TestCase):
         }
         response = self.client.post(reverse('helpdesk:update', kwargs={'ticket_id': ticket_id}), post_data, follow=True)
         self.assertContains(response, 'Changed Status from Open to Closed')
+        
+    def test_is_my_ticket(self):
+        """Tests whether non-staff but assigned user still counts as owner"""
+
+        # make non-staff user
+        self.loginUser(is_staff=False)
+
+        # create second user
+        User = get_user_model()
+        self.user2 = User.objects.create(
+            username='User_2',
+            is_staff=False,
+        )
+
+        initial_data = {
+            'title': 'Private ticket test',
+            'queue': self.queue_public,
+            'assigned_to': self.user,
+            'status': Ticket.OPEN_STATUS,
+        }
+
+        # create ticket
+        ticket = Ticket.objects.create(**initial_data)
+        
+        self.assertEqual(_is_my_ticket(self.user, ticket), True)
+        self.assertEqual(_is_my_ticket(self.user2, ticket), False)
 
     def test_num_to_link(self):
         """Test that we are correctly expanding links to tickets from IDs"""
diff --git a/helpdesk/views/staff.py b/helpdesk/views/staff.py
index 4bca4841..5cb871fc 100644
--- a/helpdesk/views/staff.py
+++ b/helpdesk/views/staff.py
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ def _has_access_to_queue(user, queue):
 def _is_my_ticket(user, ticket):
     """Check to see if the user has permission to access
     a ticket. If not then deny access."""
-    if user.is_superuser or user.is_staff or user.id == ticket.customer_id:
+    if user.is_superuser or user.is_staff or user.id == ticket.assigned_to.id:
         return True
     else:
         return False