diff --git a/src/documents/serialisers.py b/src/documents/serialisers.py
index f3ef49f86..ab7efe6de 100644
--- a/src/documents/serialisers.py
+++ b/src/documents/serialisers.py
@@ -116,10 +116,13 @@ class SetPermissionsMixin:
         }
         if set_permissions is not None:
             for action in permissions_dict:
-                users = set_permissions[action]["users"]
-                permissions_dict[action]["users"] = self._validate_user_ids(users)
-                groups = set_permissions[action]["groups"]
-                permissions_dict[action]["groups"] = self._validate_group_ids(groups)
+                if action in set_permissions:
+                    users = set_permissions[action]["users"]
+                    permissions_dict[action]["users"] = self._validate_user_ids(users)
+                    groups = set_permissions[action]["groups"]
+                    permissions_dict[action]["groups"] = self._validate_group_ids(
+                        groups,
+                    )
         return permissions_dict
 
     def _set_permissions(self, permissions, object):