gistfile1.txt

diff --git a/src/couchdb/couch_httpd_db.erl b/src/couchdb/couch_httpd_db.erl
index bba9b7c..f5ed6a4 100644
--- a/src/couchdb/couch_httpd_db.erl
+++ b/src/couchdb/couch_httpd_db.erl
@@ -64,7 +64,17 @@ handle_changes_req(#httpd{path_parts=[_,<<"_changes">>]}=Req, _Db) ->
     send_method_not_allowed(Req, "GET,HEAD,POST").
 
 handle_changes_req1(Req, Db) ->
-    ok = couch_db:check_is_admin(Db),
+    AuthDbName = ?l2b(couch_config:get("couch_httpd_auth", "authentication_db")),
+    case AuthDbName of
+    Db ->
+        % in the authentication database, _changes is admin-only.
+        ok = couch_db:check_is_admin(Db),
+        handle_changes_req2(Req, Db);
+    _Else ->
+        handle_changes_req2(Req, Db)
+    end.
+
+handle_changes_req2(Req, Db) ->
     MakeCallback = fun(Resp) ->
         fun({change, Change, _}, "continuous") ->
             send_chunk(Resp, [?JSON_ENCODE(Change) | "\n"]);