diff --git a/wagtail/wagtailadmin/templates/wagtailadmin/account/account.html b/wagtail/wagtailadmin/templates/wagtailadmin/account/account.html
index 21688ce37..f543d66dc 100644
--- a/wagtail/wagtailadmin/templates/wagtailadmin/account/account.html
+++ b/wagtail/wagtailadmin/templates/wagtailadmin/account/account.html
@@ -28,15 +28,17 @@
                     </small>
                 </li>
             {% endif %}
-            <li class="row row-flush">
-                <div class="col6">
-                    <a href="{% url 'wagtailadmin_account_notification_preferences' %}" class="button button-primary">{% trans "Notification preferences" %}</a>
-                </div>
+            {% if show_notification_preferences %}
+                <li class="row row-flush">
+                    <div class="col6">
+                        <a href="{% url 'wagtailadmin_account_notification_preferences' %}" class="button button-primary">{% trans "Notification preferences" %}</a>
+                    </div>
 
-                <small class="col6">
-                    {% trans "Choose which email notifications to receive." %}
-                </small>
-            </li>
+                    <small class="col6">
+                        {% trans "Choose which email notifications to receive." %}
+                    </small>
+                </li>
+            {% endif %}
         </ul>
     </div>
 {% endblock %}
diff --git a/wagtail/wagtailadmin/views/account.py b/wagtail/wagtailadmin/views/account.py
index d5ab71bd6..c5cf6ffae 100644
--- a/wagtail/wagtailadmin/views/account.py
+++ b/wagtail/wagtailadmin/views/account.py
@@ -10,12 +10,17 @@ from django.views.decorators.cache import never_cache
 
 from wagtail.wagtailadmin import forms
 from wagtail.wagtailusers.forms import NotificationPreferencesForm
+from wagtail.wagtailcore.models import UserPagePermissionsProxy
 
 
 @permission_required('wagtailadmin.access_admin')
 def account(request):
+    user_perms = UserPagePermissionsProxy(request.user)
+    show_notification_preferences = user_perms.can_edit_pages() or user_perms.can_publish_pages()
+
     return render(request, 'wagtailadmin/account/account.html', {
         'show_change_password': getattr(settings, 'WAGTAIL_PASSWORD_MANAGEMENT_ENABLED', True) and request.user.has_usable_password(),
+        'show_notification_preferences': show_notification_preferences
     })
 
 
@@ -56,6 +61,11 @@ def notification_preferences(request):
     else:
         form = NotificationPreferencesForm(instance=request.user.get_profile())
 
+    # quick-and-dirty catch-all in case the form has been rendered with no
+    # fields, as the user has no customisable permissions
+    if not form.fields:
+        return redirect('wagtailadmin_account')
+
     return render(request, 'wagtailadmin/account/notification_preferences.html', {
         'form': form,
     })