diff --git a/src/controllers/topics.js b/src/controllers/topics.js
index 6b0766ecaf..abc81c3132 100644
--- a/src/controllers/topics.js
+++ b/src/controllers/topics.js
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ topicsController.get = function(req, res, next) {
 					user.getSettings(uid, next);
 				},
 				topic: function(next) {
-					topics.getTopicFields(tid, ['slug', 'postcount'], next);
+					topics.getTopicFields(tid, ['slug', 'postcount', 'deleted'], next);
 				}
 			}, next);
 		},
@@ -54,6 +54,10 @@ topicsController.get = function(req, res, next) {
 				return helpers.notAllowed(req, res);
 			}
 
+			if (parseInt(results.topic.deleted, 10) && !userPrivileges.view_deleted) {
+				return helpers.notAllowed(req, res);
+			}
+
 			var settings = results.settings;
 			var postCount = parseInt(results.topic.postcount, 10);
 			var pageCount = Math.ceil((postCount - 1) / settings.postsPerPage);
@@ -112,12 +116,10 @@ topicsController.get = function(req, res, next) {
 				if (err && err.message === '[[error:no-topic]]' && !topicData) {
 					return helpers.notFound(res);
 				}
+
 				if (err && !topicData) {
 					return next(err);
 				}
-				if (topicData.deleted && !userPrivileges.view_deleted) {
-					return helpers.notAllowed(req, res);
-				}
 
 				topicData.pageCount = pageCount;