diff --git a/smartmin/views.py b/smartmin/views.py
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/smartmin/views.py
+++ b/smartmin/views.py
@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@ class SmartView(object):
     exclude = None
     field_config = {}
     title = None
-    permission = None
     refresh = 0
     template_name = None
 
@@ -82,7 +81,7 @@ class SmartView(object):
         self.args = args
         self.request = request
 
-        if not self.permission:
+        if not getattr(self, 'permission', None):
             return True
         else:
             # first check our anonymous permissions
@@ -118,7 +117,7 @@ class SmartView(object):
         if obj_getter:
             obj = obj_getter()
             if obj:
-                return self.request.user.has_perm(self.permission, obj)
+                return self.request.user.has_perm(getattr(self, 'permission', None), obj)
 
     def dispatch(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
         """
Handled the permission for actions inheritance issue