diff --git a/lib/moodlelib.php b/lib/moodlelib.php
index 07fa67e787b..22e0c28db3e 100644
--- a/lib/moodlelib.php
+++ b/lib/moodlelib.php
@@ -1772,13 +1772,28 @@ function require_login($courseorid=0, $autologinguest=true, $cm=null) {
             print_error('nocontext');
         }
 
-        if (empty($USER->switchrole[$context->id]) &&
-            !($COURSE->visible && course_parent_visible($COURSE)) &&
-               !has_capability('moodle/course:viewhiddencourses', get_context_instance(CONTEXT_COURSE, $COURSE->id)) ){
-            print_header_simple();
-            notice(get_string('coursehidden'), $CFG->wwwroot .'/');
-        }
-
+        if (empty($USER->access['rsw'][$context->path])) {
+            //
+            // Spaghetti logic construct
+            // 
+            // - able to view course?
+            // - able to view category?
+            // => if either is missing, course is hidden from this user
+            //
+            // It's carefully ordered so we run the cheap checks first, and the
+            // more costly checks last...
+            //
+            if (! (($COURSE->visible || has_capability('moodle/course:viewhiddencourses', 
+                                                       get_context_instance(CONTEXT_COURSE, 
+                                                                            $COURSE->id)))
+                   && (course_parent_visible($COURSE)) || has_capability('moodle/course:viewhiddencourses', 
+                                                                        get_context_instance(CONTEXT_COURSECAT,
+                                                                                             $COURSE->category)))) {
+                print_header_simple();
+                notice(get_string('coursehidden'), $CFG->wwwroot .'/');
+            }
+        }    
+        
     /// Non-guests who don't currently have access, check if they can be allowed in as a guest
 
         if ($USER->username != 'guest' and !has_capability('moodle/course:view', $context)) {