diff --git a/app/helpers/groups_helper.rb b/app/helpers/groups_helper.rb
index 95fea2f18d1..3c5c8bbd71b 100644
--- a/app/helpers/groups_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/groups_helper.rb
@@ -128,8 +128,10 @@ module GroupsHelper
   def get_group_sidebar_links
     links = [:overview, :group_members]
 
-    if can?(current_user, :read_cross_project)
-      links += [:activity, :issues, :boards, :labels, :milestones, :merge_requests]
+    resources = [:activity, :issues, :boards, :labels, :milestones,
+                 :merge_requests]
+    links += resources.select do |resource|
+      can?(current_user, "read_group_#{resource}".to_sym, @group)
     end
 
     if can?(current_user, :admin_group, @group)
diff --git a/app/policies/group_policy.rb b/app/policies/group_policy.rb
index 520710b757d..ded9fe30eff 100644
--- a/app/policies/group_policy.rb
+++ b/app/policies/group_policy.rb
@@ -72,6 +72,19 @@ class GroupPolicy < BasePolicy
     enable :change_visibility_level
   end
 
+  rule { can?(:read_nested_project_resources) }.policy do
+    enable :read_group_activity
+    enable :read_group_issues
+    enable :read_group_boards
+    enable :read_group_labels
+    enable :read_group_milestones
+    enable :read_group_merge_requests
+  end
+
+  rule { can?(:read_cross_project) & can?(:read_group) }.policy do
+    enable :read_nested_project_resources
+  end
+
   rule { owner & nested_groups_supported }.enable :create_subgroup
 
   rule { public_group | logged_in_viewable }.enable :view_globally
diff --git a/spec/helpers/groups_helper_spec.rb b/spec/helpers/groups_helper_spec.rb
index 6c94bd4e504..115807f954b 100644
--- a/spec/helpers/groups_helper_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/helpers/groups_helper_spec.rb
@@ -206,8 +206,9 @@ describe GroupsHelper do
     let(:group) { create(:group, :public) }
     let(:user) { create(:user) }
     before do
+      group.add_owner(user)
       allow(helper).to receive(:current_user) { user }
-      allow(helper).to receive(:can?) { true }
+      allow(helper).to receive(:can?) { |*args| Ability.allowed?(*args) }
       helper.instance_variable_set(:@group, group)
     end
 
@@ -231,7 +232,10 @@ describe GroupsHelper do
       cross_project_features = [:activity, :issues, :labels, :milestones,
                                 :merge_requests]
 
-      expect(helper).to receive(:can?).with(user, :read_cross_project) { false }
+      allow(Ability).to receive(:allowed?).and_call_original
+      cross_project_features.each do |feature|
+        expect(Ability).to receive(:allowed?).with(user, "read_group_#{feature}".to_sym, group) { false }
+      end
 
       expect(helper.group_sidebar_links).not_to include(*cross_project_features)
     end
diff --git a/spec/policies/group_policy_spec.rb b/spec/policies/group_policy_spec.rb
index 9b5c290b9f9..d6d340bd806 100644
--- a/spec/policies/group_policy_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/policies/group_policy_spec.rb
@@ -9,7 +9,11 @@ describe GroupPolicy do
   let(:admin) { create(:admin) }
   let(:group) { create(:group, :private) }
 
-  let(:guest_permissions) { [:read_label, :read_group, :upload_file, :read_namespace] }
+  let(:guest_permissions) do
+    [:read_label, :read_group, :upload_file, :read_namespace, :read_group_activity,
+     :read_group_issues, :read_group_boards, :read_group_labels, :read_group_milestones,
+     :read_group_merge_requests]
+  end
 
   let(:reporter_permissions) { [:admin_label] }