diff --git a/graph/loaders/users.js b/graph/loaders/users.js
index c453542a4..b943c60ed 100644
--- a/graph/loaders/users.js
+++ b/graph/loaders/users.js
@@ -32,15 +32,23 @@ const genUserByIDs = async (context, ids) => {
  * @param  {Object} query     query terms to apply to the users query
  */
 const getUsersByQuery = async ({user, loaders: {Actions}}, {ids, limit, cursor, statuses, action_type, sortOrder}) => {
-  if (!user || !user.can(SEARCH_OTHER_USERS)) {
-    return null;
-  }
-
   let query = UserModel.find();
 
-  if (action_type) {
-    const userIds = await Actions.getByTypes({action_type, item_type: 'USERS'});
-    ids = ids ? union(ids, userIds) : userIds;
+  if (action_type || statuses) {
+    if (!user || !user.can(SEARCH_OTHER_USERS)) {
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    if (statuses) {
+      query = query.where({
+        status: {
+          $in: statuses
+        }
+      });
+    } else {
+      const userIds = await Actions.getByTypes({action_type, item_type: 'USERS'});
+      ids = ids ? union(ids, userIds) : userIds;
+    }
   }
 
   if (ids) {
@@ -51,14 +59,6 @@ const getUsersByQuery = async ({user, loaders: {Actions}}, {ids, limit, cursor,
     });
   }
 
-  if (statuses) {
-    query = query.where({
-      status: {
-        $in: statuses
-      }
-    });
-  }
-
   if (cursor) {
     if (sortOrder === 'DESC') {
       query = query.where({