diff --git a/rhodecode/apps/repository/views/repo_permissions.py b/rhodecode/apps/repository/views/repo_permissions.py
--- a/rhodecode/apps/repository/views/repo_permissions.py
+++ b/rhodecode/apps/repository/views/repo_permissions.py
@@ -114,21 +114,26 @@ class RepoSettingsPermissionsView(RepoAp
         private_flag = str2bool(self.request.POST.get('private'))
 
         try:
-            RepoModel().update(
-                self.db_repo, **{'repo_private': private_flag, 'repo_name': self.db_repo_name})
+            repo = RepoModel().get(self.db_repo.repo_id)
+            repo.private = private_flag
+            Session().add(repo)
+            RepoModel().grant_user_permission(
+                repo=self.db_repo, user=User.DEFAULT_USER, perm='repository.none'
+            )
+
             Session().commit()
 
             h.flash(_('Repository `{}` private mode set successfully').format(self.db_repo_name),
                     category='success')
+            # NOTE(dan): we change repo private mode we need to notify all USERS
+            affected_user_ids = User.get_all_user_ids()
+            PermissionModel().trigger_permission_flush(affected_user_ids)
+
         except Exception:
             log.exception("Exception during update of repository")
             h.flash(_('Error occurred during update of repository {}').format(
                 self.db_repo_name), category='error')
 
-        # NOTE(dan): we change repo private mode we need to notify all USERS
-        affected_user_ids = User.get_all_user_ids()
-        PermissionModel().trigger_permission_flush(affected_user_ids)
-
         return {
             'redirect_url': h.route_path('edit_repo_perms', repo_name=self.db_repo_name),
             'private': private_flag
diff --git a/rhodecode/templates/admin/repos/repo_edit_permissions.mako b/rhodecode/templates/admin/repos/repo_edit_permissions.mako
--- a/rhodecode/templates/admin/repos/repo_edit_permissions.mako
+++ b/rhodecode/templates/admin/repos/repo_edit_permissions.mako
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@
                             ${base.gravatar(h.DEFAULT_USER_EMAIL, 16)}
                             ${h.DEFAULT_USER} - ${_('only users/user groups explicitly added here will have access')}</td>
                         <td class="td-action">
-                            <span class="tooltip btn btn-link btn-default" onclick="setPrivateRepo(false); return false" title="${_('Private repositories are only visible to people explicitly added as collaborators. Default permissions wont apply')}">
+                            <span class="noselect tooltip btn btn-link btn-default" onclick="setPrivateRepo(this, false); return false" title="${_('Private repositories are only visible to people explicitly added as collaborators. Default permissions wont apply')}">
                             ${_('un-set private mode')}
                             </span>
                         </td>
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@
                             ${_('Remove')}
                             </span>
                           %elif _user.username == h.DEFAULT_USER:
-                            <span class="tooltip btn btn-link btn-default" onclick="setPrivateRepo(true); return false" title="${_('Private repositories are only visible to people explicitly added as collaborators. Default permissions wont apply')}">
+                            <span class="noselect tooltip btn btn-link btn-default" onclick="setPrivateRepo(this, true); return false" title="${_('Private repositories are only visible to people explicitly added as collaborators. Default permissions wont apply')}">
                             ${_('set private mode')}
                             </span>
                           %endif
@@ -213,7 +213,14 @@
     });
     quick_repo_menu();
 
-    var setPrivateRepo = function (private) {
+    var setPrivateRepo = function (elem, private) {
+        var $elem = $(elem)
+        if ($elem.hasClass('disabled')) {
+            return
+        }
+        $elem.addClass('disabled');
+        $elem.css({"opacity": 0.3})
+
         var postData = {
             'csrf_token': CSRF_TOKEN,
             'private': private