diff --git a/app/controllers/alchemy/json_api/base_controller.rb b/app/controllers/alchemy/json_api/base_controller.rb
index 13d0535..c279c86 100644
--- a/app/controllers/alchemy/json_api/base_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/alchemy/json_api/base_controller.rb
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ module Alchemy
   module JsonApi
     class BaseController < ::ApplicationController
       include Alchemy::ControllerActions
+      include Alchemy::AbilityHelper
       include JSONAPI::Fetching
       include JSONAPI::Errors
       include JSONAPI::Filtering
diff --git a/app/controllers/alchemy/json_api/pages_controller.rb b/app/controllers/alchemy/json_api/pages_controller.rb
index 9ac3d84..5b0a8ab 100644
--- a/app/controllers/alchemy/json_api/pages_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/alchemy/json_api/pages_controller.rb
@@ -46,9 +46,14 @@ def page_scope
       end
 
       def base_page_scope
-        ::Alchemy::Page.
+        # cancancan is not able to merge our complex AR scopes for logged in users
+        if can?(:edit_content, Page)
+          pages = Page.all
+        else
+          pages = Page.accessible_by(current_ability, :index)
+        end
+        pages.
           with_language(Language.current).
-          published.
           preload(language: {nodes: [:parent, :page]}, all_elements: [:parent_element, :nested_elements, { contents: { essence: :ingredient_association } }])
       end
 
diff --git a/spec/requests/alchemy/json_api/layout_pages_spec.rb b/spec/requests/alchemy/json_api/layout_pages_spec.rb
index 7687493..c0c4925 100644
--- a/spec/requests/alchemy/json_api/layout_pages_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/alchemy/json_api/layout_pages_spec.rb
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 require "rails_helper"
 require "alchemy/test_support/factories/page_factory"
 require "alchemy/test_support/factories/element_factory"
+require "alchemy/devise/test_support/factories"
 
 RSpec.describe "Alchemy::JsonApi::LayoutPagesController", type: :request do
   let(:page) do
@@ -53,6 +54,30 @@
         expect(response).to have_http_status(404)
       end
     end
+
+    context "when requesting an unpublished layout page" do
+      let(:page) { FactoryBot.create(:alchemy_page, :layoutpage) }
+
+      context "as anonymous user" do
+        it "returns a 404" do
+          get alchemy_json_api.layout_page_path(page.urlname)
+          expect(response).to have_http_status(404)
+        end
+      end
+
+      context "as admin" do
+        before do
+          allow_any_instance_of(ApplicationController).to receive(:current_user) do
+            FactoryBot.create(:alchemy_admin_user)
+          end
+        end
+
+        it "finds the page" do
+          get alchemy_json_api.layout_page_path(page.urlname)
+          expect(response).to have_http_status(200)
+        end
+      end
+    end
   end
 
   describe "GET /alchemy/json_api/layout_pages" do
@@ -61,12 +86,30 @@
       let!(:non_public_layout_page) { FactoryBot.create(:alchemy_page, :layoutpage) }
       let!(:public_page) { FactoryBot.create(:alchemy_page, :public) }
 
-      it "returns only public layout pages" do
-        get alchemy_json_api.layout_pages_path
-        document = JSON.parse(response.body)
-        expect(document["data"]).to include(have_id(layoutpage.id.to_s))
-        expect(document["data"]).not_to include(have_id(non_public_layout_page.id.to_s))
-        expect(document["data"]).not_to include(have_id(public_page.id.to_s))
+      context "as anonymous user" do
+        it "returns only public layout pages" do
+          get alchemy_json_api.layout_pages_path
+          document = JSON.parse(response.body)
+          expect(document["data"]).to include(have_id(layoutpage.id.to_s))
+          expect(document["data"]).not_to include(have_id(non_public_layout_page.id.to_s))
+          expect(document["data"]).not_to include(have_id(public_page.id.to_s))
+        end
+      end
+
+      context "as admin user" do
+        before do
+          allow_any_instance_of(ApplicationController).to receive(:current_user) do
+            FactoryBot.create(:alchemy_admin_user)
+          end
+        end
+
+        it "returns only public layout pages" do
+          get alchemy_json_api.layout_pages_path
+          document = JSON.parse(response.body)
+          expect(document["data"]).to include(have_id(layoutpage.id.to_s))
+          expect(document["data"]).to include(have_id(non_public_layout_page.id.to_s))
+          expect(document["data"]).not_to include(have_id(public_page.id.to_s))
+        end
       end
     end
 
diff --git a/spec/requests/alchemy/json_api/pages_spec.rb b/spec/requests/alchemy/json_api/pages_spec.rb
index dbbf301..d6a1f95 100644
--- a/spec/requests/alchemy/json_api/pages_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/alchemy/json_api/pages_spec.rb
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 require "rails_helper"
 require "alchemy/test_support/factories/page_factory"
 require "alchemy/test_support/factories/element_factory"
+require "alchemy/devise/test_support/factories"
 
 RSpec.describe "Alchemy::JsonApi::Pages", type: :request do
   let(:page) do
@@ -71,6 +72,30 @@
         expect(response).to have_http_status(404)
       end
     end
+
+    context "when requesting an unpublished page" do
+      let(:page) { FactoryBot.create(:alchemy_page) }
+
+      context "as anonymous user" do
+        it "returns a 404" do
+          get alchemy_json_api.page_path(page.urlname)
+          expect(response).to have_http_status(404)
+        end
+      end
+
+      context "as admin" do
+        before do
+          allow_any_instance_of(ApplicationController).to receive(:current_user) do
+            FactoryBot.create(:alchemy_admin_user)
+          end
+        end
+
+        it "finds the page" do
+          get alchemy_json_api.page_path(page.urlname)
+          expect(response).to have_http_status(200)
+        end
+      end
+    end
   end
 
   describe "GET /alchemy/json_api/pages" do
@@ -79,12 +104,30 @@
       let!(:non_public_page) { FactoryBot.create(:alchemy_page) }
       let!(:public_page) { FactoryBot.create(:alchemy_page, :public) }
 
-      it "returns public content pages only" do
-        get alchemy_json_api.pages_path
-        document = JSON.parse(response.body)
-        expect(document["data"]).not_to include(have_id(layoutpage.id.to_s))
-        expect(document["data"]).not_to include(have_id(non_public_page.id.to_s))
-        expect(document["data"]).to include(have_id(public_page.id.to_s))
+      context "as anonymous user" do
+        it "returns public content pages only" do
+          get alchemy_json_api.pages_path
+          document = JSON.parse(response.body)
+          expect(document["data"]).not_to include(have_id(layoutpage.id.to_s))
+          expect(document["data"]).not_to include(have_id(non_public_page.id.to_s))
+          expect(document["data"]).to include(have_id(public_page.id.to_s))
+        end
+      end
+
+      context "as admin user" do
+        before do
+          allow_any_instance_of(ApplicationController).to receive(:current_user) do
+            FactoryBot.create(:alchemy_admin_user)
+          end
+        end
+
+        it "returns all content pages" do
+          get alchemy_json_api.pages_path
+          document = JSON.parse(response.body)
+          expect(document["data"]).not_to include(have_id(layoutpage.id.to_s))
+          expect(document["data"]).to include(have_id(non_public_page.id.to_s))
+          expect(document["data"]).to include(have_id(public_page.id.to_s))
+        end
       end
     end