diff --git a/pypicloud/views/simple.py b/pypicloud/views/simple.py
index 86f33ac7..20d830eb 100644
--- a/pypicloud/views/simple.py
+++ b/pypicloud/views/simple.py
@@ -161,10 +161,10 @@ def package_versions_json(context, request):
 
 def get_fallback_packages(request, package_name, redirect=True):
     """Get all package versions for a package from the fallback_base_url"""
-    releases = request.locator.get_releases(package_name)
     pkgs = {}
     if not request.access.has_permission(package_name, "fallback"):
         return pkgs
+    releases = request.locator.get_releases(package_name)
     for release in releases:
         url = release["url"]
         filename = posixpath.basename(url)