diff --git a/rhodecode/lib/auth.py b/rhodecode/lib/auth.py
--- a/rhodecode/lib/auth.py
+++ b/rhodecode/lib/auth.py
@@ -367,8 +367,7 @@ class PermOriginDict(dict):
         self.perm_origin_stack = collections.OrderedDict()
 
     def __setitem__(self, key, (perm, origin, obj_id)):
-        self.perm_origin_stack.setdefault(key, []).append(
-            (perm, origin, obj_id))
+        self.perm_origin_stack.setdefault(key, []).append((perm, origin, obj_id))
         dict.__setitem__(self, key, perm)
 
 
@@ -441,7 +440,7 @@ class PermissionCalculator(object):
 
     def calculate(self):
         if self.user_is_admin and not self.calculate_super_admin_as_user:
-            return self._calculate_admin_permissions()
+            return self._calculate_super_admin_permissions()
 
         self._calculate_global_default_permissions()
         self._calculate_global_permissions()
@@ -452,9 +451,9 @@ class PermissionCalculator(object):
         self._calculate_user_group_permissions()
         return self._permission_structure()
 
-    def _calculate_admin_permissions(self):
+    def _calculate_super_admin_permissions(self):
         """
-        admin user have all default rights for repositories
+        super-admin user have all default rights for repositories
         and groups set to admin
         """
         self.permissions_global.add('hg.admin')
@@ -774,6 +773,7 @@ class PermissionCalculator(object):
         for perm in user_repo_perms:
             r_k = perm.UserRepoToPerm.repository.repo_name
             obj_id = perm.UserRepoToPerm.repository.repo_id
+            archived = perm.UserRepoToPerm.repository.archived
             p = perm.Permission.permission_name
             o = PermOrigin.REPO_USER % perm.UserRepoToPerm.user.username
 
@@ -795,6 +795,15 @@ class PermissionCalculator(object):
                 o = PermOrigin.SUPER_ADMIN
                 self.permissions_repositories[r_k] = p, o, obj_id
 
+            # finally in case of archived repositories, we downgrade  higher
+            # permissions to read
+            if archived:
+                current_perm = self.permissions_repositories[r_k]
+                if current_perm in ['repository.write', 'repository.admin']:
+                    p = 'repository.read'
+                    o = PermOrigin.ARCHIVED
+                    self.permissions_repositories[r_k] = p, o, obj_id
+
     def _calculate_repository_branch_permissions(self):
         # user group for repositories permissions
         user_repo_branch_perms_from_user_group = Permission\
diff --git a/rhodecode/templates/admin/repos/repo_edit_advanced.mako b/rhodecode/templates/admin/repos/repo_edit_advanced.mako
--- a/rhodecode/templates/admin/repos/repo_edit_advanced.mako
+++ b/rhodecode/templates/admin/repos/repo_edit_advanced.mako
@@ -167,11 +167,16 @@
         <div style="margin: 0 0 20px 0" class="fake-space"></div>
 
         <div class="field">
+        % if c.rhodecode_db_repo.archived:
+            This repository is already archived. Only super-admin users can un-archive this repository.
+        % else:
             <button class="btn btn-small btn-warning" type="submit"
                     onclick="submitConfirm(event, this, _gettext('Confirm to archive this repository'), _gettext('Archive'), '${c.rhodecode_db_repo.repo_name}')"
             >
                 ${_('Archive this repository')}
             </button>
+        % endif
+
         </div>
         <div class="field">
             <span class="help-block">
diff --git a/rhodecode/templates/base/base.mako b/rhodecode/templates/base/base.mako
--- a/rhodecode/templates/base/base.mako
+++ b/rhodecode/templates/base/base.mako
@@ -392,7 +392,7 @@
             </a>
         </li>
 
-        %if h.HasRepoPermissionAll('repository.admin')(c.repo_name):
+        %if not c.rhodecode_db_repo.archived and h.HasRepoPermissionAll('repository.admin')(c.repo_name):
             <li class="${h.is_active('settings', active)}"><a class="menulink" href="${h.route_path('edit_repo',repo_name=c.repo_name)}"><div class="menulabel">${_('Repository Settings')}</div></a></li>
         %endif
 
diff --git a/rhodecode/tests/lib/test_auth.py b/rhodecode/tests/lib/test_auth.py
--- a/rhodecode/tests/lib/test_auth.py
+++ b/rhodecode/tests/lib/test_auth.py
@@ -433,7 +433,7 @@ def test_permission_calculator_admin_per
 
     calculator = auth.PermissionCalculator(
         user.user_id, {}, False, False, True, 'higherwin')
-    permissions = calculator._calculate_admin_permissions()
+    permissions = calculator._calculate_super_admin_permissions()
 
     assert permissions['repositories_groups'][repo_group.group_name] == \
         'group.admin'