diff --git a/TODO b/TODO
index 413a8ab..01b1d8e 100644
--- a/TODO
+++ b/TODO
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ Features
 * Allow users to make a comment sent to admins/maintainers?
 * Marking for recipes with ptest enabled
 * Make it easy to update people's email addresses
-* Prevent selection of "Base" layer type for layer unless you have admin access (or layer is already of that type)
 * Use proper model to store inherits
 * Make dependency and inherits list items into search links
 * Full-text search on layer contents
diff --git a/layerindex/forms.py b/layerindex/forms.py
index c2e4e62..8b94091 100644
--- a/layerindex/forms.py
+++ b/layerindex/forms.py
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ class EditLayerForm(forms.ModelForm):
         model = LayerItem
         fields = ('name', 'layer_type', 'summary', 'description', 'vcs_url', 'vcs_web_url', 'vcs_web_tree_base_url', 'vcs_web_file_base_url', 'vcs_web_commit_url', 'usage_url', 'mailing_list_url')
 
-    def __init__(self, user, layerbranch, *args, **kwargs):
+    def __init__(self, user, layerbranch, allow_base_type, *args, **kwargs):
         super(self.__class__, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
         self.layerbranch = layerbranch
         if self.instance.pk:
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ class EditLayerForm(forms.ModelForm):
         self.fields = new_fields
         self.fields['vcs_subdir'].initial = layerbranch.vcs_subdir
         self.was_saved = False
+        self.allow_base_type = allow_base_type
 
     def checked_deps(self):
         val = [int(v) for v in self['deps'].value()]
@@ -100,6 +101,12 @@ class EditLayerForm(forms.ModelForm):
         summary = re.sub('\s+', ' ', summary)
         return summary
 
+    def clean_layer_type(self):
+        layer_type = self.cleaned_data['layer_type']
+        if layer_type == 'A' and not self.allow_base_type:
+            raise forms.ValidationError("Base type is not allowed, please select a more specific type")
+        return layer_type
+
     def clean_description(self):
         description = self.cleaned_data['description'].strip()
         return description
diff --git a/layerindex/views.py b/layerindex/views.py
index 8adebed..55a3633 100644
--- a/layerindex/views.py
+++ b/layerindex/views.py
@@ -121,9 +121,11 @@ def edit_layer_view(request, template_name, branch='master', slug=None):
         layerbranch = LayerBranch(layer=layeritem, branch=branchobj)
         deplistlayers = LayerItem.objects.filter(comparison=False).order_by('name')
 
+    allow_base_type = request.user.has_perm('layerindex.publish_layer') or layeritem.layer_type == 'A'
+
     if request.method == 'POST':
         last_vcs_url = layeritem.vcs_url
-        form = EditLayerForm(request.user, layerbranch, request.POST, instance=layeritem)
+        form = EditLayerForm(request.user, layerbranch, allow_base_type, request.POST, instance=layeritem)
         maintainerformset = LayerMaintainerFormSet(request.POST, instance=layerbranch)
         if form.is_valid() and maintainerformset.is_valid():
             with transaction.atomic():
@@ -196,13 +198,14 @@ def edit_layer_view(request, template_name, branch='master', slug=None):
                     return_url = reverse_lazy(returnto, args=(branch, layeritem.name))
                 return HttpResponseRedirect(return_url)
     else:
-        form = EditLayerForm(request.user, layerbranch, instance=layeritem)
+        form = EditLayerForm(request.user, layerbranch, allow_base_type, instance=layeritem)
         maintainerformset = LayerMaintainerFormSet(instance=layerbranch)
 
     return render(request, template_name, {
         'form': form,
         'maintainerformset': maintainerformset,
         'deplistlayers': deplistlayers,
+        'allow_base_type': allow_base_type,
         'return_url': return_url,
     })
 
diff --git a/templates/layerindex/editlayer.html b/templates/layerindex/editlayer.html
index ce7b292..676d4af 100644
--- a/templates/layerindex/editlayer.html
+++ b/templates/layerindex/editlayer.html
@@ -391,6 +391,10 @@
         $('#idx_vcs_web_type').change(auto_web_type_field)
         auto_web_fields(null)
 
+        {% if not allow_base_type %}
+        $("#id_layer_type option[value='A']").remove();
+        {% endif %}
+
         firstfield = $("#edit_layer_form input:text, #edit_layer_form textarea").first();
         if( ! firstfield.val() )
             firstfield.focus()