diff --git a/pkg/api/accesscontrol.go b/pkg/api/accesscontrol.go
index 1855531c0ce..0f1c4efe772 100644
--- a/pkg/api/accesscontrol.go
+++ b/pkg/api/accesscontrol.go
@@ -74,10 +74,6 @@ func (hs *HTTPServer) declareFixedRoles() error {
 		Grants: []string{string(org.RoleEditor)},
 	}
 
-	if hs.Cfg.ViewersCanEdit {
-		datasourcesExplorerRole.Grants = append(datasourcesExplorerRole.Grants, string(org.RoleViewer))
-	}
-
 	datasourcesReaderRole := ac.RoleRegistration{
 		Role: ac.RoleDTO{
 			Name:        "fixed:datasources:reader",
diff --git a/pkg/services/guardian/accesscontrol_guardian.go b/pkg/services/guardian/accesscontrol_guardian.go
index 4282ac4e29e..88d29ec72b1 100644
--- a/pkg/services/guardian/accesscontrol_guardian.go
+++ b/pkg/services/guardian/accesscontrol_guardian.go
@@ -221,10 +221,6 @@ func (a *accessControlDashboardGuardian) CanEdit() (bool, error) {
 		return false, ErrGuardianDashboardNotFound.Errorf("failed to check edit permissions for dashboard")
 	}
 
-	if a.cfg.ViewersCanEdit {
-		return a.CanView()
-	}
-
 	return a.evaluate(
 		accesscontrol.EvalPermission(dashboards.ActionDashboardsWrite, dashboards.ScopeDashboardsProvider.GetResourceScopeUID(a.dashboard.UID)),
 	)
@@ -235,10 +231,6 @@ func (a *accessControlFolderGuardian) CanEdit() (bool, error) {
 		return false, ErrGuardianFolderNotFound.Errorf("failed to check edit permissions for folder")
 	}
 
-	if a.cfg.ViewersCanEdit {
-		return a.CanView()
-	}
-
 	return a.evaluate(accesscontrol.EvalPermission(dashboards.ActionFoldersWrite, dashboards.ScopeFoldersProvider.GetResourceScopeUID(a.folder.UID)))
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/services/guardian/accesscontrol_guardian_test.go b/pkg/services/guardian/accesscontrol_guardian_test.go
index 5de4e91da24..2171d2bbbac 100644
--- a/pkg/services/guardian/accesscontrol_guardian_test.go
+++ b/pkg/services/guardian/accesscontrol_guardian_test.go
@@ -36,11 +36,10 @@ var (
 )
 
 type accessControlGuardianTestCase struct {
-	desc           string
-	dashboard      *dashboards.Dashboard
-	permissions    []accesscontrol.Permission
-	viewersCanEdit bool
-	expected       bool
+	desc        string
+	dashboard   *dashboards.Dashboard
+	permissions []accesscontrol.Permission
+	expected    bool
 }
 
 func TestAccessControlDashboardGuardian_CanSave(t *testing.T) {
@@ -257,18 +256,6 @@ func TestAccessControlDashboardGuardian_CanEdit(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			expected: false,
 		},
-		{
-			desc:      "should be able to edit dashboard with read action when viewer_can_edit is true",
-			dashboard: dashboard,
-			permissions: []accesscontrol.Permission{
-				{
-					Action: dashboards.ActionDashboardsRead,
-					Scope:  "dashboards:uid:1",
-				},
-			},
-			viewersCanEdit: true,
-			expected:       true,
-		},
 		{
 			desc:      "should not be able to edit folder with folder write and dashboard wildcard scope",
 			dashboard: fldr,
@@ -324,24 +311,11 @@ func TestAccessControlDashboardGuardian_CanEdit(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			expected: false,
 		},
-		{
-			desc:      "should be able to edit folder with folder read action when viewer_can_edit is true",
-			dashboard: fldr,
-			permissions: []accesscontrol.Permission{
-				{
-					Action: dashboards.ActionFoldersRead,
-					Scope:  folderUIDScope,
-				},
-			},
-			viewersCanEdit: true,
-			expected:       true,
-		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		t.Run(tt.desc, func(t *testing.T) {
 			cfg := setting.NewCfg()
-			cfg.ViewersCanEdit = tt.viewersCanEdit
 			guardian := setupAccessControlGuardianTest(t, tt.dashboard, tt.permissions, cfg)
 
 			can, err := guardian.CanEdit()
diff --git a/pkg/services/queryhistory/api.go b/pkg/services/queryhistory/api.go
index ef8ca98ad4d..0b39e4c9f30 100644
--- a/pkg/services/queryhistory/api.go
+++ b/pkg/services/queryhistory/api.go
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ type CallbackHandler func(c *contextmodel.ReqContext) response.Response
 func (s *QueryHistoryService) permissionsMiddleware(handler CallbackHandler, errorMessage string) CallbackHandler {
 	return func(c *contextmodel.ReqContext) response.Response {
 		hasAccess := ac.HasAccess(s.accessControl, c)
-		if c.GetOrgRole() == org.RoleViewer && !s.Cfg.ViewersCanEdit && !hasAccess(ac.EvalPermission(ac.ActionDatasourcesExplore)) {
+		if c.GetOrgRole() == org.RoleViewer && !hasAccess(ac.EvalPermission(ac.ActionDatasourcesExplore)) {
 			return response.Error(http.StatusUnauthorized, errorMessage, nil)
 		}
 		return handler(c)
diff --git a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/NavToolbarActions.tsx b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/NavToolbarActions.tsx
index d5564aa2814..b3c4c75afe8 100644
--- a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/NavToolbarActions.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/NavToolbarActions.tsx
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import {
 } from '@grafana/ui';
 import { AppChromeUpdate } from 'app/core/components/AppChrome/AppChromeUpdate';
 import { NavToolbarSeparator } from 'app/core/components/AppChrome/NavToolbar/NavToolbarSeparator';
+import grafanaConfig from 'app/core/config';
 import { LS_PANEL_COPY_KEY } from 'app/core/constants';
 import { contextSrv } from 'app/core/core';
 import { Trans, t } from 'app/core/internationalization';
@@ -78,6 +79,11 @@ export function ToolbarActions({ dashboard }: Props) {
   const showScopesSelector = config.featureToggles.scopeFilters && !isEditing;
   const dashboardNewLayouts = config.featureToggles.dashboardNewLayouts;
 
+  // Internal only;
+  // allows viewer editing without ability to save
+  // used for grafana play
+  const canEdit = grafanaConfig.viewersCanEdit;
+
   if (!isEditingPanel) {
     // This adds the presence indicators in enterprise
     addDynamicActions(toolbarActions, dynamicDashNavActions.left, 'left-actions');
@@ -354,7 +360,7 @@ export function ToolbarActions({ dashboard }: Props) {
 
   toolbarActions.push({
     group: 'main-buttons',
-    condition: !isEditing && dashboard.canEditDashboard() && !isViewingPanel && !isPlaying && editable,
+    condition: !isEditing && (dashboard.canEditDashboard() || canEdit) && !isViewingPanel && !isPlaying && editable,
     render: () => (
       <Button
         onClick={() => {