diff --git a/pkg/services/dashboards/accesscontrol.go b/pkg/services/dashboards/accesscontrol.go
index 12cd4d65c2d..9047f5460ee 100644
--- a/pkg/services/dashboards/accesscontrol.go
+++ b/pkg/services/dashboards/accesscontrol.go
@@ -130,6 +130,10 @@ func NewDashboardUIDScopeResolver(db Store) (string, ac.ScopeAttributeResolver)
 
 func resolveDashboardScope(ctx context.Context, db Store, orgID int64, dashboard *models.Dashboard) ([]string, error) {
 	var folderUID string
+	if dashboard.FolderId < 0 {
+		return []string{ScopeDashboardsProvider.GetResourceScopeUID(dashboard.Uid)}, nil
+	}
+
 	if dashboard.FolderId == 0 {
 		folderUID = ac.GeneralFolderUID
 	} else {
@@ -139,6 +143,7 @@ func resolveDashboardScope(ctx context.Context, db Store, orgID int64, dashboard
 		}
 		folderUID = folder.Uid
 	}
+
 	return []string{
 		ScopeDashboardsProvider.GetResourceScopeUID(dashboard.Uid),
 		ScopeFoldersProvider.GetResourceScopeUID(folderUID),