diff --git a/core/model/Translatable.php b/core/model/Translatable.php
index 6db33f385..ade3671db 100755
--- a/core/model/Translatable.php
+++ b/core/model/Translatable.php
@@ -129,7 +129,8 @@
  * 
  * <h2>Permissions</h2>
  * 
- * Authors without administrative access need special permissions.
+ * Authors without administrative access need special permissions to edit locales other than
+ * the default locale.
  * 
  * - TRANSLATE_ALL: Translate into all locales
  * - Translate_<locale>: Translate a specific locale. Only available for all locales set in
@@ -1146,8 +1147,12 @@ class Translatable extends DataObjectDecorator implements PermissionProvider {
 			!is_array(self::get_allowed_locales()) 
 			|| in_array($locale, self::get_allowed_locales())
 		);
+
 		if(!$allowedLocale) return false;
 		
+		// By default, anyone who can edit a page can edit the default locale
+		if($locale == self::default_locale()) return true;
+		
 		// check for generic translation permission
 		if(Permission::checkMember($member, 'TRANSLATE_ALL')) return true;
 		
diff --git a/tests/SiteTreeActionsTest.php b/tests/SiteTreeActionsTest.php
index f63dbf339..da101754d 100644
--- a/tests/SiteTreeActionsTest.php
+++ b/tests/SiteTreeActionsTest.php
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ class SiteTreeActionsTest extends FunctionalTest {
 		$page->CanEditType = 'LoggedInUsers';
 		$page->write();
 		$page->doPublish();
-	
+
 		$actionsArr = $page->getCMSActions()->column('Name');
 	
 		$this->assertContains('action_save',$actionsArr);
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ class SiteTreeActionsTest extends FunctionalTest {
 		
 		// Get the live version of the page
 		$page = Versioned::get_one_by_stage("SiteTree", "Live", "\"SiteTree\".\"ID\" = $pageID");
+		$this->assertType('SiteTree', $page);
 		
 		$actionsArr = $page->getCMSActions()->column('Name');