diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/domain/hibernate/AclDaoComponentImpl.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/domain/hibernate/AclDaoComponentImpl.java
index b4b2f6854e..86df648e22 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/domain/hibernate/AclDaoComponentImpl.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/domain/hibernate/AclDaoComponentImpl.java
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ import org.alfresco.repo.security.permissions.impl.AclDaoComponent;
 import org.alfresco.repo.security.permissions.impl.SimplePermissionReference;
 import org.alfresco.repo.transaction.AlfrescoTransactionSupport;
 import org.alfresco.service.cmr.security.AccessStatus;
+import org.alfresco.service.cmr.security.AuthorityType;
 import org.alfresco.service.namespace.QName;
 import org.alfresco.util.GUID;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
@@ -1945,7 +1946,7 @@ public class AclDaoComponentImpl extends HibernateDaoSupport implements AclDaoCo
             if (pattern.getAuthority() != null)
             {
                 DbAuthority authority = (DbAuthority) result.get("authority");
-                if (!pattern.getAuthority().equals(authority.getAuthority()))
+                if ((pattern.getAuthorityType() != AuthorityType.WILDCARD) && !pattern.getAuthority().equals(authority.getAuthority()))
                 {
                     return false;
                 }
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/security/permissions/impl/PermissionServiceTest.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/security/permissions/impl/PermissionServiceTest.java
index 0564cc2d1e..bba0349a13 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/security/permissions/impl/PermissionServiceTest.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/security/permissions/impl/PermissionServiceTest.java
@@ -2488,6 +2488,20 @@ public class PermissionServiceTest extends AbstractPermissionTest
         assertTrue("Time was "+(end - start)/1000000000.0f, end == start);
     }
 
+    public void testClearPermissionNullAuthority()
+    {
+        assertEquals(0, permissionService.getAllSetPermissions(rootNodeRef).size());
+        permissionService.setPermission(new SimplePermissionEntry(rootNodeRef, getPermission(PermissionService.READ), "andy", AccessStatus.ALLOWED));
+        permissionService.setPermission(new SimplePermissionEntry(rootNodeRef, getPermission(PermissionService.READ_CHILDREN), "andy", AccessStatus.ALLOWED));
+        assertEquals(2, permissionService.getAllSetPermissions(rootNodeRef).size());
+        permissionService.setPermission(new SimplePermissionEntry(rootNodeRef, getPermission(PermissionService.READ), "lemur", AccessStatus.ALLOWED));
+        permissionService.setPermission(new SimplePermissionEntry(rootNodeRef, getPermission(PermissionService.READ_CHILDREN), "lemur", AccessStatus.ALLOWED));
+        assertEquals(4, permissionService.getAllSetPermissions(rootNodeRef).size());
+
+        permissionService.clearPermission(rootNodeRef, null);
+        assertEquals(0, permissionService.getAllSetPermissions(rootNodeRef).size());
+    }
+
     public void testGetAllSetPermissionsFromAllNodes()
     {
         runAs(AuthenticationUtil.getAdminUserName());
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/security/AuthorityType.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/security/AuthorityType.java
index 7007516b59..cc02046f0a 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/security/AuthorityType.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/security/AuthorityType.java
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ package org.alfresco.service.cmr.security;
  * <li>OWNER - the special authority that applies to the owner of a node
  * <li>EVERYONE - the special authority that is interpreted as everyone
  * <li>GUEST - the special authority that applies to a GUEST (An unknown, unauthenticated user)
+ * <li>WILDCARD - the set of all authorities (including the guest user)
  * </ol>
  * 
  * @author Andy Hind
@@ -225,6 +226,33 @@ public enum AuthorityType
         {
             return 6;
         }
+    },
+    WILDCARD
+    {
+        public boolean isFixedString()
+        {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        public String getFixedString()
+        {
+            return "";
+        }
+
+        public boolean isPrefixed()
+        {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        public String getPrefixString()
+        {
+            return "";
+        }
+
+        public int getOrderPosition()
+        {
+            return 7;
+        }
     };
 
     public abstract boolean isFixedString();
@@ -245,34 +273,43 @@ public enum AuthorityType
     public static AuthorityType getAuthorityType(String authority)
     {
         AuthorityType authorityType;
-        if (authority.equals(PermissionService.ADMINISTRATOR_AUTHORITY))
+
+        if(null == authority)
         {
-            authorityType = AuthorityType.ADMIN;
-        }
-        if (authority.equals(PermissionService.ALL_AUTHORITIES))
-        {
-            authorityType = AuthorityType.EVERYONE;
-        }
-        else if (authority.equals(PermissionService.OWNER_AUTHORITY))
-        {
-            authorityType = AuthorityType.OWNER;
-        }
-        else if (authority.equalsIgnoreCase(PermissionService.GUEST_AUTHORITY))
-        {
-            authorityType = AuthorityType.GUEST;
-        }
-        else if (authority.startsWith(PermissionService.GROUP_PREFIX))
-        {
-            authorityType = AuthorityType.GROUP;
-        }
-        else if (authority.startsWith(PermissionService.ROLE_PREFIX))
-        {
-            authorityType = AuthorityType.ROLE;
+            authorityType = AuthorityType.WILDCARD;
         }
         else
         {
-            authorityType = AuthorityType.USER;
+            if (authority.equals(PermissionService.ADMINISTRATOR_AUTHORITY))
+            {
+                authorityType = AuthorityType.ADMIN;
+            }
+            if (authority.equals(PermissionService.ALL_AUTHORITIES))
+            {
+                authorityType = AuthorityType.EVERYONE;
+            }
+            else if (authority.equals(PermissionService.OWNER_AUTHORITY))
+            {
+                authorityType = AuthorityType.OWNER;
+            }
+            else if (authority.equalsIgnoreCase(PermissionService.GUEST_AUTHORITY))
+            {
+                authorityType = AuthorityType.GUEST;
+            }
+            else if (authority.startsWith(PermissionService.GROUP_PREFIX))
+            {
+                authorityType = AuthorityType.GROUP;
+            }
+            else if (authority.startsWith(PermissionService.ROLE_PREFIX))
+            {
+                authorityType = AuthorityType.ROLE;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                authorityType = AuthorityType.USER;
+            }
         }
+
         return authorityType;
     }
 }