diff --git a/static/js/subs.js b/static/js/subs.js
index b9aceecf09..6819db4d9d 100644
--- a/static/js/subs.js
+++ b/static/js/subs.js
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ function add_email_hint(row) {
 function add_sub_to_table(sub) {
     $('#create_stream_row').after(templates.render(
         'subscription',
-        _.extend(sub, {'allow_rename': page_params.show_admin})));
+        _.extend(sub, {'allow_rename': page_params.is_admin})));
     settings_for_sub(sub).collapse('show');
     add_email_hint(sub);
 }
@@ -408,7 +408,7 @@ exports.setup_page = function () {
         // Add in admin options.
         var sub_rows = [];
         _.each(all_subs, function (sub) {
-            sub = _.extend(sub, {'allow_rename': page_params.show_admin});
+            sub = _.extend(sub, {'allow_rename': page_params.is_admin});
             sub_rows.push(sub);
         });
 
diff --git a/static/js/zulip.js b/static/js/zulip.js
index b375b2616a..58b37c9d45 100644
--- a/static/js/zulip.js
+++ b/static/js/zulip.js
@@ -556,7 +556,7 @@ function set_topic_edit_properties(message) {
     // to encourage updating them. Admins can also edit any topic.
     if (message.subject === compose.empty_subject_placeholder()) {
         message.always_visible_topic_edit = true;
-    } else if (page_params.show_admin) {
+    } else if (page_params.is_admin) {
         message.on_hover_topic_edit = true;
     }
 }
diff --git a/templates/zerver/index.html b/templates/zerver/index.html
index 0169667e4c..95a2802b92 100644
--- a/templates/zerver/index.html
+++ b/templates/zerver/index.html
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ var page_params = {{ page_params }};
             <div class="tab-pane" id="subscriptions">
                 {% include "zerver/subscriptions.html" %}
             </div>
-            {% if show_admin %}
+            {% if is_admin %}
             <div class="tab-pane" id="administration">
                 {% include "zerver/administration.html" %}
             </div>
diff --git a/templates/zerver/navbar.html b/templates/zerver/navbar.html
index eaaa16ea55..4231dac2d1 100644
--- a/templates/zerver/navbar.html
+++ b/templates/zerver/navbar.html
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@
                     </a>
                   </li>
                   <li class="divider"></li>
-                  {% if show_admin %}
+                  {% if is_admin %}
                   <li title="Administration">
                     <a href="#administration" role="button" data-toggle="tab">
                       <i class="icon-vector-bolt"></i> Administration
diff --git a/zerver/models.py b/zerver/models.py
index 328998aab0..37644c7d0e 100644
--- a/zerver/models.py
+++ b/zerver/models.py
@@ -254,13 +254,8 @@ class UserProfile(AbstractBaseUser, PermissionsMixin):
         else:
             return False
 
-    @property
-    def show_admin(self):
-        # Logic to determine if the user should see the administration tools.
-        # Do NOT use this to check if a user is authorized to perform a specific action!
-        return 0 < self.userobjectpermission_set.filter(
-                content_type__name="realm",
-                permission__codename="administer").count()
+    def is_admin(self):
+        return self.has_perm('administer', self.realm)
 
     @property
     def public_streams_disabled(self):
diff --git a/zerver/views/__init__.py b/zerver/views/__init__.py
index df5d192760..61fa03b2a6 100644
--- a/zerver/views/__init__.py
+++ b/zerver/views/__init__.py
@@ -725,7 +725,7 @@ def home(request):
         staging               = settings.STAGING_DEPLOYED or not settings.DEPLOYED,
         alert_words           = register_ret['alert_words'],
         muted_topics          = register_ret['muted_topics'],
-        show_admin            = user_profile.show_admin,
+        is_admin              = user_profile.is_admin(),
         notify_for_streams_by_default = notify_for_streams_by_default(user_profile),
         name_changes_disabled = settings.NAME_CHANGES_DISABLED,
         has_mobile_devices    = num_push_devices_for_user(user_profile) > 0
@@ -749,7 +749,7 @@ def home(request):
                                    'show_debug':
                                        settings.DEBUG and ('show_debug' in request.GET),
                                    'show_invites': show_invites,
-                                   'show_admin': user_profile.show_admin,
+                                   'is_admin': user_profile.is_admin(),
                                    'show_webathena': user_profile.realm.domain == "mit.edu",
                                    'enable_feedback': settings.ENABLE_FEEDBACK
                                    },