diff --git a/islandora.module b/islandora.module
index f800cf6d..05a3a57b 100644
--- a/islandora.module
+++ b/islandora.module
@@ -357,6 +357,88 @@ function islandora_forms($form_id) {
   return $forms;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Checks whether the user can access the given object.
+ *
+ * Checks for repository access, object/datastream existance, namespace access,
+ * user permissions, content models.
+ *
+ * Will check the given user or the user repersented by the GET token parameter,
+ * failing that it will use the global user.
+ *
+ * @global $user
+ *
+ * @param mixed $object
+ *   The FedoraObject or FedoraDatastream to test for accessibility, if NULL
+ *   is given the object is assumed to not exist or be inaccessible.
+ * @param array $permissions
+ *   The required user permissions.
+ * @param array $content_models
+ *   The required content models.
+ * @param bool $access_any
+ *   (optional) TRUE to grant access if any single requirement is met from both
+ *   the permissions and content models parameters. FALSE if all requirements
+ *   must be met from both the permissions and content model parameters.
+ * @param object $account
+ *   (optional) The account to check, if not given check the GET parameters for
+ *   a token to restore the user. If no GET parameter is present use currently
+ *   logged in user.
+ *
+ * @return bool
+ *   TRUE if the user is allowed to access this object/datastream, FALSE
+ *   otherwise.
+ */
+function islandora_user_access($object, array $permissions, $content_models = array(), $access_any = TRUE, $account = NULL) {
+  module_load_include('inc', 'islandora', 'includes/utilities');
+  $is_repository_accessible = &drupal_static(__FUNCTION__);
+  // If the repository is inaccessible then access always fails.
+  if (!isset($is_repository_accessible)) {
+    $is_repository_accessible = islandora_describe_repository();
+    if (!$is_repository_accessible) {
+      // Only display the inaccessible message once.
+      islandora_display_repository_inaccessible_message();
+      return FALSE;
+    }
+  }
+  if (!$is_repository_accessible || !is_object($object)) {
+    return FALSE;
+  }
+  // Determine the user account to test against.
+  if (!isset($account)) {
+    $token = filter_input(INPUT_GET, 'token', FILTER_SANITIZE_STRING);
+    if ($token) {
+      module_load_include('inc', 'islandora', 'includes/authtokens');
+      $user = islandora_validate_object_token($object->id, $datastream->id, $token);
+      if ($user) {
+        $account = user_load($user->uid);
+      }
+    }
+    else {
+      global $user;
+      $account = $user;
+    }
+  }
+  // Determine what has been passed as $object.
+  if (is_subclass_of($object, 'FedoraObject')) {
+    $object = $object;
+  }
+  elseif (is_subclass_of($object, 'FedoraDatastream')) {
+    $datastream = $object;
+    $object = $datastream->parent;
+  }
+  // Check for access.
+  $accessible_namespace = islandora_namespace_accessible($object->id);
+  if ($access_any) {
+    $has_required_permissions = islandora_user_access_any($permissions, $account);
+    $has_required_content_models = empty($content_models) ? TRUE : count(array_intersect($object->models, $content_models)) > 0;
+  }
+  else {
+    $has_required_permissions = islandora_user_access_all($permissions, $account);
+    $has_required_content_models = count(array_diff($content_models, $object->models)) == 0;
+  }
+  return $accessible_namespace && $has_required_permissions && $has_required_content_models;
+}
+
 /**
  * Checks whether the user can access the given object.
  *
diff --git a/tests/islandora_manage_permissions.test b/tests/islandora_manage_permissions.test
index 76f43a6d..72aebd89 100644
--- a/tests/islandora_manage_permissions.test
+++ b/tests/islandora_manage_permissions.test
@@ -1,7 +1,17 @@
 <?php
 
+/**
+ * @file
+ * Tests islandora permissions, and permission related funcitons.
+ */
+
 class IslandoraPermissionsTestCase extends IslandoraWebTestCase {
-  
+
+  /**
+   * Gets info to display to describe this test.
+   *
+   * @see IslandoraWebTestCase::getInfo()
+   */
   public static function getInfo() {
     return array(
       'name' => 'Islandora Manage Permissions',
@@ -10,69 +20,117 @@ class IslandoraPermissionsTestCase extends IslandoraWebTestCase {
     );
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Prepares enviroment for testing.
+   *
+   * @see IslandoraWebTestCase::setUp()
+   */
   public function setUp() {
     parent::setUp(array('islandora'));
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Test manage permissions.
+   */
   public function testManagePermissions() {
-
-
-    // permission FEDORA_VIEW_OBJECTS
-    // create a user with permission
+    // Test permission FEDORA_VIEW_OBJECTS.
+    // Create a user with permission.
     $user = $this->drupalCreateUser(array(FEDORA_VIEW_OBJECTS));
-     // log the user in
+    // Log the user in.
     $this->drupalLogin($user);
     $this->clickLink(t('Islandora Repository'));
     $this->assertNoLink('Manage', 'Manage tab is not on current page.');
-    
-    
-    // permission FEDORA_VIEW_OBJECTS, FEDORA_MANAGE_PROPERTIES
+
+    // Test permission FEDORA_VIEW_OBJECTS, FEDORA_MANAGE_PROPERTIES.
     $user = $this->drupalCreateUser(array(FEDORA_VIEW_OBJECTS, FEDORA_MANAGE_PROPERTIES));
-     // log the user in
     $this->drupalLogin($user);
     $this->clickLink(t('Islandora Repository'));
     $this->assertLink('Manage', 0, 'Manage tab is on current page.');
     $this->clickLink(t('Manage'));
     $this->assertLink('Properties', 0, 'Properties tab is on current page.');
     $this->assertNoLink('Datastreams', 'Datastreams tab is not on current page.');
-    $this->assertNoLink('Collection','Collection tab is not on current page.');
+    $this->assertNoLink('Collection', 'Collection tab is not on current page.');
 
-    
-    // permission FEDORA_VIEW_OBJECTS, FEDORA_ADD_DS
+    // Test permission FEDORA_VIEW_OBJECTS, FEDORA_ADD_DS.
     $user = $this->drupalCreateUser(array(FEDORA_VIEW_OBJECTS, FEDORA_ADD_DS));
-     // log the user in
     $this->drupalLogin($user);
     $this->clickLink(t('Islandora Repository'));
     $this->assertLink('Manage', 0, 'Manage tab is on current page.');
     $this->clickLink(t('Manage'));
     $this->assertLink('Datastreams', 0, 'Datastreams tab is on current page.');
     $this->assertNoLink('Properties', 'Properties tab is not on current page.');
-    $this->assertNoLink('Collection','Collection tab is not on current page.');
-    
-    
-    // permission FEDORA_VIEW_OBJECTS, FEDORA_METADATA_EDIT
+    $this->assertNoLink('Collection', 'Collection tab is not on current page.');
+
+    // Test permission FEDORA_VIEW_OBJECTS, FEDORA_METADATA_EDIT.
     $user = $this->drupalCreateUser(array(FEDORA_VIEW_OBJECTS, FEDORA_METADATA_EDIT));
-     // log the user in
-   $this->drupalLogin($user);
+    $this->drupalLogin($user);
     $this->clickLink(t('Islandora Repository'));
     $this->assertLink('Manage', 0, 'Manage tab is on current page.');
     $this->clickLink(t('Manage'));
     $this->assertLink('Datastreams', 0, 'Datastreams tab is on current page.');
     $this->assertNoLink('Properties', 'Properties tab is not on current page.');
-    $this->assertNoLink('Collection','Collection tab is not on current page.');
-    
-    
-    // permission FEDORA_VIEW_OBJECTS, FEDORA_PURGE
+    $this->assertNoLink('Collection', 'Collection tab is not on current page.');
+
+    // Test permission FEDORA_VIEW_OBJECTS, FEDORA_PURGE.
     $user = $this->drupalCreateUser(array(FEDORA_VIEW_OBJECTS, FEDORA_PURGE));
-     // log the user in
     $this->drupalLogin($user);
     $this->clickLink(t('Islandora Repository'));
     $this->assertLink('Manage', 0, 'Manage tab is on current page.');
     $this->clickLink(t('Manage'));
     $this->assertLink('Datastreams', 0, 'Datastreams tab is on current page.');
     $this->assertNoLink('Properties', 'Properties tab is not on current page.');
-    $this->assertNoLink('Collection','Collection tab is not on current page.');
-       
+    $this->assertNoLink('Collection', 'Collection tab is not on current page.');
   }
 
- }
\ No newline at end of file
+  /**
+   * Test generic access functions.
+   *
+   * Note that we can't test with the Global user as SimpleTest doesn't support
+   * it. Therefore we can't test the authtoken support.
+   */
+  public function testAccessFunctions() {
+    $object = islandora_object_load(variable_get('islandora_repository_pid', 'islandora:root'));
+    // Test islandora_user_access();
+    // Test no object/permissions.
+    $ret = islandora_user_access(NULL, array());
+    $this->assertFalse($ret, 'User access denied when no object/permissions are provided.');
+    // Test with object no permissions.
+    $ret = islandora_user_access($object, array());
+    $this->assertFalse($ret, 'User access denied when no permissions are provided.');
+    // Test access with matching permission.
+    $user = $this->drupalCreateUser(array(FEDORA_VIEW_OBJECTS));
+    $ret = islandora_user_access($object, array(FEDORA_VIEW_OBJECTS), array(), TRUE, $user);
+    $this->assertTrue($ret, 'User access granted when permissions match.');
+    // Test access with matching permission but access any is FALSE.
+    $user = $this->drupalCreateUser(array(FEDORA_VIEW_OBJECTS));
+    $ret = islandora_user_access($object, array(FEDORA_VIEW_OBJECTS, FEDORA_PURGE), array(), FALSE, $user);
+    $this->assertFalse($ret, 'User access denied for matching permission but with access any set to FALSE.');
+    // Test access with non-matching permission.
+    $user = $this->drupalCreateUser(array(FEDORA_PURGE));
+    $ret = islandora_user_access($object, array(FEDORA_VIEW_OBJECTS), array(), TRUE, $user);
+    $this->assertFalse($ret, 'User access denied when permissions did not match.');
+    // Test access with both permissions and content model.
+    $user = $this->drupalCreateUser(array(FEDORA_VIEW_OBJECTS));
+    $model = $object->models;
+    $model = reset($model);
+    $ret = islandora_user_access($object, array(FEDORA_VIEW_OBJECTS), array($model), TRUE, $user);
+    $this->assertTrue($ret, 'User access granted for matching permission and model.');
+    // Test access with matching permissions and non-matching content model.
+    $user = $this->drupalCreateUser(array(FEDORA_VIEW_OBJECTS));
+    $ret = islandora_user_access($object, array(FEDORA_VIEW_OBJECTS), array('islandora:obviouslyNotACModel'), TRUE, $user);
+    $this->assertFalse($ret, 'User access denied for matching permission and non-matching model.');
+    // Test access with all matching permissions and one matching model but
+    // access any is FALSE.
+    $user = $this->drupalCreateUser(array(FEDORA_VIEW_OBJECTS, FEDORA_PURGE));
+    $model = $object->models;
+    $model = reset($model);
+    $ret = islandora_user_access($object, array(FEDORA_VIEW_OBJECTS, FEDORA_PURGE), array($model, 'islandora:obviouslyNotACModel'), FALSE, $user);
+    $this->assertFalse($ret, 'User access denied for all matching permissions and one matching model but with access any set to FALSE.');
+    $ret = islandora_user_access($object, array(FEDORA_VIEW_OBJECTS, FEDORA_PURGE), array($model), FALSE, $user);
+    $this->assertTrue($ret, 'User access granted for all matching permissions and matching models with access any set to FALSE.');
+    // Test passing in a Datastream.
+    $user = $this->drupalCreateUser(array(FEDORA_VIEW_OBJECTS, FEDORA_PURGE));
+    $ret = islandora_user_access($object['DC'], array(FEDORA_VIEW_OBJECTS), array(), TRUE, $user);
+    $this->assertTrue($ret, 'User access granted for matching permissions, with a datastream given instead of an object.');
+  }
+}