diff --git a/app/__init__.py b/app/__init__.py
index 4d171758..939ebb6b 100644
--- a/app/__init__.py
+++ b/app/__init__.py
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ def check_for_ban():
 			if current_user.rank == models.UserRank.BANNED:
 				current_user.rank = models.UserRank.MEMBER
 			models.db.session.commit()
-		elif current_user.ban or current_user.rank == models.UserRank.BANNED:
+		elif current_user.is_banned:
 			if current_user.ban:
 				flash(gettext("Banned:") + " " + current_user.ban.message, "danger")
 			else:
diff --git a/app/models/packages.py b/app/models/packages.py
index e8f0d55f..04d9f946 100644
--- a/app/models/packages.py
+++ b/app/models/packages.py
@@ -1066,7 +1066,7 @@ class PackageRelease(db.Model):
 		return True
 
 	def check_perm(self, user, perm):
-		if not user.is_authenticated:
+		if not user.is_authenticated or user.is_banned:
 			return False
 
 		if type(perm) == str:
@@ -1092,9 +1092,7 @@ class PackageRelease(db.Model):
 
 			return count > 0
 		elif perm == Permission.APPROVE_RELEASE:
-			return user.rank.at_least(UserRank.APPROVER) or \
-					(is_maintainer and user.rank.at_least(
-						UserRank.MEMBER if self.approved else UserRank.NEW_MEMBER))
+			return is_maintainer or user.rank.at_least(UserRank.APPROVER)
 		else:
 			raise Exception("Permission {} is not related to releases".format(perm.name))
 
diff --git a/app/models/users.py b/app/models/users.py
index c4925a16..e726118f 100644
--- a/app/models/users.py
+++ b/app/models/users.py
@@ -192,6 +192,10 @@ class User(db.Model, UserMixin):
 
 	ban = db.relationship("UserBan", foreign_keys="UserBan.user_id", back_populates="user", uselist=False)
 
+	@property
+	def is_banned(self):
+		return (self.ban and not self.ban.has_expired) or self.rank == UserRank.BANNED
+
 	def get_dict(self):
 		from app.utils.flask import abs_url_for
 		return {