diff --git a/include/config/rcxml.h b/include/config/rcxml.h
index 8243f2cb..a5e14b49 100644
--- a/include/config/rcxml.h
+++ b/include/config/rcxml.h
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ struct rcxml {
 	enum tearing_mode allow_tearing;
 	bool auto_enable_outputs;
 	bool reuse_output_mode;
+	uint32_t default_permissions;
 	bool xwayland_persistence;
 	bool primary_selection;
 	char *prompt_command;
diff --git a/src/config/rcxml.c b/src/config/rcxml.c
index ef092dbf..95a80f17 100644
--- a/src/config/rcxml.c
+++ b/src/config/rcxml.c
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 #include "config/touch.h"
 #include "labwc.h"
 #include "osd.h"
+#include "permissions.h"
 #include "regions.h"
 #include "ssd.h"
 #include "translate.h"
@@ -1095,6 +1096,8 @@ entry(xmlNode *node, char *nodename, char *content)
 		set_bool(content, &rc.auto_enable_outputs);
 	} else if (!strcasecmp(nodename, "reuseOutputMode.core")) {
 		set_bool(content, &rc.reuse_output_mode);
+	} else if (!strcasecmp(nodename, "permission.core")) {
+		rc.default_permissions |= permissions_from_interface_name(content);
 	} else if (!strcasecmp(nodename, "xwaylandPersistence.core")) {
 		set_bool(content, &rc.xwayland_persistence);
 	} else if (!strcasecmp(nodename, "primarySelection.core")) {
@@ -1390,6 +1393,7 @@ rcxml_init(void)
 	rc.allow_tearing = LAB_TEARING_DISABLED;
 	rc.auto_enable_outputs = true;
 	rc.reuse_output_mode = false;
+	rc.default_permissions = 0;
 	rc.xwayland_persistence = false;
 	rc.primary_selection = true;
 
diff --git a/src/permissions.c b/src/permissions.c
index 914e9963..a0f9b00a 100644
--- a/src/permissions.c
+++ b/src/permissions.c
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ permissions_context_create(struct wl_display *display, uint32_t permissions)
 bool
 permissions_check(const struct wl_client *client, const struct wl_interface *iface)
 {
-	uint32_t permissions = permissions_get(client);
+	uint32_t permissions = permissions_get(client) | rc.default_permissions;
 	uint32_t required = permissions_from_interface_name(iface->name);
 	return (permissions & required) == required;
 }