diff --git a/app/models/project.rb b/app/models/project.rb
index 507813bccf8..16a418d5a3f 100644
--- a/app/models/project.rb
+++ b/app/models/project.rb
@@ -876,14 +876,8 @@ class Project < ActiveRecord::Base
     ProtectedBranch.matching(branch_name, protected_branches: @protected_branches).present?
   end
 
-  def developers_can_push_to_protected_branch?(branch_name)
-    return true if empty_repo? && !default_branch_protected?
-
-    protected_branches.matching(branch_name).any?(&:developers_can_push)
-  end
-
-  def developers_can_merge_to_protected_branch?(branch_name)
-    protected_branches.matching(branch_name).any?(&:developers_can_merge)
+  def user_can_push_to_empty_repo?(user)
+    !default_branch_protected? || team.max_member_access(user.id) > Gitlab::Access::DEVELOPER
   end
 
   def forked?
@@ -1278,7 +1272,8 @@ class Project < ActiveRecord::Base
   private
 
   def default_branch_protected?
-    current_application_settings.default_branch_protection == Gitlab::Access::PROTECTION_FULL
+    current_application_settings.default_branch_protection == Gitlab::Access::PROTECTION_FULL ||
+      current_application_settings.default_branch_protection == Gitlab::Access::PROTECTION_DEV_CAN_MERGE
   end
 
   def authorized_for_user_by_group?(user, min_access_level)
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/user_access.rb b/lib/gitlab/user_access.rb
index 3a69027368f..c55a7fc4d3d 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/user_access.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/user_access.rb
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ module Gitlab
       return false unless user
 
       if project.protected_branch?(ref)
+        return true if project.empty_repo? && project.user_can_push_to_empty_repo?(user)
+
         access_levels = project.protected_branches.matching(ref).map(&:push_access_level)
         access_levels.any? { |access_level| access_level.check_access(user) }
       else
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/user_access_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/user_access_spec.rb
index 26918f7b82d..d3c3b800b94 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/user_access_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/user_access_spec.rb
@@ -9,16 +9,19 @@ describe Gitlab::UserAccess, lib: true do
     describe 'push to none protected branch' do
       it 'returns true if user is a master' do
         project.team << [user, :master]
+
         expect(access.can_push_to_branch?('random_branch')).to be_truthy
       end
 
       it 'returns true if user is a developer' do
         project.team << [user, :developer]
+
         expect(access.can_push_to_branch?('random_branch')).to be_truthy
       end
 
       it 'returns false if user is a reporter' do
         project.team << [user, :reporter]
+
         expect(access.can_push_to_branch?('random_branch')).to be_falsey
       end
     end
@@ -67,16 +70,19 @@ describe Gitlab::UserAccess, lib: true do
 
       it 'returns true if user is a master' do
         project.team << [user, :master]
+
         expect(access.can_push_to_branch?(branch.name)).to be_truthy
       end
 
       it 'returns false if user is a developer' do
         project.team << [user, :developer]
+
         expect(access.can_push_to_branch?(branch.name)).to be_falsey
       end
 
       it 'returns false if user is a reporter' do
         project.team << [user, :reporter]
+
         expect(access.can_push_to_branch?(branch.name)).to be_falsey
       end
     end
@@ -88,16 +94,19 @@ describe Gitlab::UserAccess, lib: true do
 
       it 'returns true if user is a master' do
         project.team << [user, :master]
+
         expect(access.can_push_to_branch?(@branch.name)).to be_truthy
       end
 
       it 'returns true if user is a developer' do
         project.team << [user, :developer]
+
         expect(access.can_push_to_branch?(@branch.name)).to be_truthy
       end
 
       it 'returns false if user is a reporter' do
         project.team << [user, :reporter]
+
         expect(access.can_push_to_branch?(@branch.name)).to be_falsey
       end
     end
@@ -109,19 +118,21 @@ describe Gitlab::UserAccess, lib: true do
 
       it 'returns true if user is a master' do
         project.team << [user, :master]
+
         expect(access.can_merge_to_branch?(@branch.name)).to be_truthy
       end
 
       it 'returns true if user is a developer' do
         project.team << [user, :developer]
+
         expect(access.can_merge_to_branch?(@branch.name)).to be_truthy
       end
 
       it 'returns false if user is a reporter' do
         project.team << [user, :reporter]
+
         expect(access.can_merge_to_branch?(@branch.name)).to be_falsey
       end
     end
-
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/models/project_spec.rb b/spec/models/project_spec.rb
index 1e6f735699b..567f87b9970 100644
--- a/spec/models/project_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/project_spec.rb
@@ -1126,69 +1126,42 @@ describe Project, models: true do
     end
   end
 
-  describe "#developers_can_push_to_protected_branch?" do
+  describe '#user_can_push_to_empty_repo?' do
     let(:project) { create(:empty_project) }
+    let(:user)    { create(:user) }
 
-    context "when the branch matches a protected branch via direct match" do
-      it "returns true if 'Developers can Push' is turned on" do
-        create(:protected_branch, name: "production", project: project, developers_can_push: true)
+    it 'returns false when default_branch_protection is in full protection and user is developer' do
+      project.team << [user, :developer]
+      stub_application_setting(default_branch_protection: Gitlab::Access::PROTECTION_FULL)
 
-        expect(project.developers_can_push_to_protected_branch?('production')).to be true
-      end
-
-      it "returns false if 'Developers can Push' is turned off" do
-        create(:protected_branch, name: "production", project: project, developers_can_push: false)
-
-        expect(project.developers_can_push_to_protected_branch?('production')).to be false
-      end
+      expect(project.user_can_push_to_empty_repo?(user)).to be_falsey
     end
 
-    context "when project is new" do
-      it "returns true if project is unprotected" do
-        stub_application_setting(default_branch_protection: Gitlab::Access::PROTECTION_NONE)
+    it 'returns false when default_branch_protection only lets devs merge and user is dev' do
+      project.team << [user, :developer]
+      stub_application_setting(default_branch_protection: Gitlab::Access::PROTECTION_DEV_CAN_MERGE)
 
-        expect(project.developers_can_push_to_protected_branch?('master')).to be true
-      end
-
-      it "returns true if project allows developers to push to protected branch" do
-        stub_application_setting(default_branch_protection: Gitlab::Access::PROTECTION_DEV_CAN_PUSH)
-
-        expect(project.developers_can_push_to_protected_branch?('master')).to be true
-      end
-
-      it "returns false if project does not let developer push to protected branch but let them merge branches" do
-        stub_application_setting(default_branch_protection: Gitlab::Access::PROTECTION_DEV_CAN_MERGE)
-
-        expect(project.developers_can_push_to_protected_branch?('master')).to be false
-      end
-
-      it "returns false if project is on full protection mode" do
-        stub_application_setting(default_branch_protection: Gitlab::Access::PROTECTION_FULL)
-
-        expect(project.developers_can_push_to_protected_branch?('master')).to be false
-      end
+      expect(project.user_can_push_to_empty_repo?(user)).to be_falsey
     end
 
-    context "when the branch matches a protected branch via wilcard match" do
-      it "returns true if 'Developers can Push' is turned on" do
-        create(:protected_branch, name: "production/*", project: project, developers_can_push: true)
+    it 'returns true when default_branch_protection lets devs push and user is developer' do
+      project.team << [user, :developer]
+      stub_application_setting(default_branch_protection: Gitlab::Access::PROTECTION_DEV_CAN_PUSH)
 
-        expect(project.developers_can_push_to_protected_branch?('production/some-branch')).to be true
-      end
-
-      it "returns false if 'Developers can Push' is turned off" do
-        create(:protected_branch, name: "production/*", project: project, developers_can_push: false)
-
-        expect(project.developers_can_push_to_protected_branch?('production/some-branch')).to be false
-      end
+      expect(project.user_can_push_to_empty_repo?(user)).to be_truthy
     end
 
-    context "when the branch does not match a protected branch" do
-      it "returns false" do
-        create(:protected_branch, name: "production/*", project: project, developers_can_push: true)
+    it 'returns true when default_branch_protection is unprotected and user is developer' do
+      project.team << [user, :developer]
+      stub_application_setting(default_branch_protection: Gitlab::Access::PROTECTION_NONE)
 
-        expect(project.developers_can_push_to_protected_branch?('staging/some-branch')).to be false
-      end
+      expect(project.user_can_push_to_empty_repo?(user)).to be_truthy
+    end
+
+    it 'returns true when user is master' do
+      project.team << [user, :master]
+
+      expect(project.user_can_push_to_empty_repo?(user)).to be_truthy
     end
   end