diff --git a/pkg/api/index.go b/pkg/api/index.go
index 575ea35cfaf..53538fd2775 100644
--- a/pkg/api/index.go
+++ b/pkg/api/index.go
@@ -103,6 +103,10 @@ func setIndexViewData(c *middleware.Context) (*dtos.IndexViewData, error) {
 			}
 
 			for _, include := range plugin.Includes {
+				if !c.HasUserRole(include.Role) {
+					continue
+				}
+
 				if include.Type == "page" && include.AddToNav {
 					link := &dtos.NavLink{
 						Url:  setting.AppSubUrl + "/plugins/" + plugin.Id + "/page/" + include.Slug,
@@ -110,6 +114,7 @@ func setIndexViewData(c *middleware.Context) (*dtos.IndexViewData, error) {
 					}
 					appLink.Children = append(appLink.Children, link)
 				}
+
 				if include.Type == "dashboard" && include.AddToNav {
 					link := &dtos.NavLink{
 						Url:  setting.AppSubUrl + "/dashboard/db/" + include.Slug,
@@ -124,7 +129,9 @@ func setIndexViewData(c *middleware.Context) (*dtos.IndexViewData, error) {
 				appLink.Children = append(appLink.Children, &dtos.NavLink{Text: "Plugin Config", Icon: "fa fa-cog", Url: setting.AppSubUrl + "/plugins/" + plugin.Id + "/edit"})
 			}
 
-			data.MainNavLinks = append(data.MainNavLinks, appLink)
+			if len(appLink.Children) > 0 {
+				data.MainNavLinks = append(data.MainNavLinks, appLink)
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/models/org_user.go b/pkg/models/org_user.go
index 48d17deb9db..d7a918751ef 100644
--- a/pkg/models/org_user.go
+++ b/pkg/models/org_user.go
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 package models
 
 import (
+	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"time"
 )
 
@@ -37,6 +39,26 @@ func (r RoleType) Includes(other RoleType) bool {
 	return r == other
 }
 
+func (r *RoleType) UnmarshalJSON(data []byte) error {
+	var str string
+	err := json.Unmarshal(data, &str)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	*r = RoleType(str)
+
+	if (*r).IsValid() == false {
+		if (*r) != "" {
+			return errors.New(fmt.Sprintf("JSON validation error: invalid role value: %s", *r))
+		}
+
+		*r = ROLE_VIEWER
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 type OrgUser struct {
 	Id      int64
 	OrgId   int64
diff --git a/pkg/plugins/models.go b/pkg/plugins/models.go
index 68268239c51..aa381abacc7 100644
--- a/pkg/plugins/models.go
+++ b/pkg/plugins/models.go
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/log"
-	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/models"
+	m "github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/models"
 	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/setting"
 )
 
@@ -69,6 +69,12 @@ func (pb *PluginBase) registerPlugin(pluginDir string) error {
 		pb.Dependencies.GrafanaVersion = "*"
 	}
 
+	for _, include := range pb.Includes {
+		if include.Role == "" {
+			include.Role = m.RoleType(m.ROLE_VIEWER)
+		}
+	}
+
 	pb.PluginDir = pluginDir
 	Plugins[pb.Id] = pb
 	return nil
@@ -80,14 +86,14 @@ type PluginDependencies struct {
 }
 
 type PluginInclude struct {
-	Name       string          `json:"name"`
-	Path       string          `json:"path"`
-	Type       string          `json:"type"`
-	Component  string          `json:"component"`
-	Role       models.RoleType `json:"role"`
-	AddToNav   bool            `json:"addToNav"`
-	DefaultNav bool            `json:"defaultNav"`
-	Slug       string          `json:"slug"`
+	Name       string     `json:"name"`
+	Path       string     `json:"path"`
+	Type       string     `json:"type"`
+	Component  string     `json:"component"`
+	Role       m.RoleType `json:"role"`
+	AddToNav   bool       `json:"addToNav"`
+	DefaultNav bool       `json:"defaultNav"`
+	Slug       string     `json:"slug"`
 
 	Id string `json:"-"`
 }