diff --git a/wagtail/wagtailsites/templates/wagtailsites/edit.html b/wagtail/wagtailsites/templates/wagtailsites/edit.html
index 96e06e2b0..5bb27278c 100644
--- a/wagtail/wagtailsites/templates/wagtailsites/edit.html
+++ b/wagtail/wagtailsites/templates/wagtailsites/edit.html
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
                 
                 <li>
                     <input type="submit" value="{% trans 'Save' %}" />
-                    {% if perms.site.delete_site %}
+                    {% if perms.wagtailcore.delete_site %}
                         <a href="{% url 'wagtailsites:delete' site.id %}" class="button button-secondary no">{% trans "Delete site" %}</a>
                     {% endif %}
                 </li>
diff --git a/wagtail/wagtailsites/templates/wagtailsites/index.html b/wagtail/wagtailsites/templates/wagtailsites/index.html
index 9481ca77d..ddf0abc02 100644
--- a/wagtail/wagtailsites/templates/wagtailsites/index.html
+++ b/wagtail/wagtailsites/templates/wagtailsites/index.html
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 {% block titletag %}{% trans "Sites" %}{% endblock %}
 {% block content %}
     {% trans "Sites" as sites_str %}
-    {% if perms.site.add_site %}
+    {% if perms.wagtailcore.add_site %}
         {% trans "Add a site" as add_a_site_str %}
         {% include "wagtailadmin/shared/header.html" with title=sites_str add_link="wagtailsites:add" add_text=add_a_site_str icon="site" %}
     {% else %}
diff --git a/wagtail/wagtailsites/views.py b/wagtail/wagtailsites/views.py
index 8d98ad431..b88d03b54 100644
--- a/wagtail/wagtailsites/views.py
+++ b/wagtail/wagtailsites/views.py
@@ -7,9 +7,10 @@ from wagtail.wagtailcore.models import Site
 from wagtail.wagtailsites.forms import SiteForm
 from wagtail.wagtailadmin import messages
 
+
 def user_has_site_model_perm(user):
     for verb in ['add', 'change', 'delete']:
-        if user.has_perm('site.%s_site' % verb):
+        if user.has_perm('wagtailcore.%s_site' % verb):
             return True
     return False
 
@@ -22,7 +23,7 @@ def index(request):
     })
 
 
-@permission_required('site.add_site')
+@permission_required('wagtailcore.add_site')
 def create(request):
     if request.POST:
         form = SiteForm(request.POST)
@@ -42,7 +43,7 @@ def create(request):
     })
 
 
-@permission_required('site.change_site')
+@permission_required('wagtailcore.change_site')
 def edit(request, site_id):
     site = get_object_or_404(Site, id=site_id)
 
@@ -65,7 +66,7 @@ def edit(request, site_id):
     })
 
 
-@permission_required('site.delete_site')
+@permission_required('wagtailcore.delete_site')
 def delete(request, site_id):
     site = get_object_or_404(Site, id=site_id)
 
diff --git a/wagtail/wagtailsites/wagtail_hooks.py b/wagtail/wagtailsites/wagtail_hooks.py
index 410ba0c51..ae837d5c6 100644
--- a/wagtail/wagtailsites/wagtail_hooks.py
+++ b/wagtail/wagtailsites/wagtail_hooks.py
@@ -17,7 +17,12 @@ def register_admin_urls():
 
 class SitesMenuItem(MenuItem):
     def is_shown(self, request):
-        return request.user.is_superuser
+        return (
+            request.user.has_perm('wagtailcore.add_site')
+            or request.user.has_perm('wagtailcore.edit_site')
+            or request.user.has_perm('wagtailcore.delete_site')
+        )
+
 
 @hooks.register('register_settings_menu_item')
 def register_sites_menu_item():