diff --git a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/content/BitstreamServiceImpl.java b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/content/BitstreamServiceImpl.java
index f2e9658699..8b454fc8fd 100644
--- a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/content/BitstreamServiceImpl.java
+++ b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/content/BitstreamServiceImpl.java
@@ -254,13 +254,13 @@ public class BitstreamServiceImpl extends DSpaceObjectServiceImpl<Bitstream> imp
             bundle.getBitstreams().remove(bitstream);
         }
 
-        // Remove policies
-        authorizeService.removeAllPolicies(context, bitstream);
-
         // Remove bitstream itself
         bitstream.setDeleted(true);
         update(context, bitstream);
 
+        // Remove policies only after the bitstream has been updated (otherwise the current user has not WRITE rights)
+        authorizeService.removeAllPolicies(context, bitstream);
+
         //Remove all bundles from the bitstream object, clearing the connection in 2 ways
         bundles.clear();
     }