diff --git a/src/applications/diffusion/controller/DiffusionController.php b/src/applications/diffusion/controller/DiffusionController.php
index d80efd1c23..262fea776a 100644
--- a/src/applications/diffusion/controller/DiffusionController.php
+++ b/src/applications/diffusion/controller/DiffusionController.php
@@ -537,7 +537,7 @@ abstract class DiffusionController extends PhabricatorController {
     }
 
     $user = id(new PhabricatorPeopleQuery())
-      ->setViewer(new PhabricatorUser())
+      ->setViewer(PhabricatorUser::getOmnipotentUser())
       ->withUsernames(array($username))
       ->executeOne();
     if (!$user) {