diff --git a/api/src/middlewares/authorize.ts b/api/src/middlewares/authorize.ts
index d27a578..105354c 100644
--- a/api/src/middlewares/authorize.ts
+++ b/api/src/middlewares/authorize.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import {
   PermissionSettingForRoute,
   PermissionType
 } from '../controllers/permission'
-import { getPath, isPublicRoute } from '../utils'
+import { getPath, isPublicRoute, TopLevelRoutes } from '../utils'
 
 export const authorize: RequestHandler = async (req, res, next) => {
   const { user } = req
@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@ export const authorize: RequestHandler = async (req, res, next) => {
   if (!dbUser) return res.sendStatus(401)
 
   const path = getPath(req)
+  const { baseUrl } = req
+  const topLevelRoute =
+    TopLevelRoutes.find((route) => baseUrl.startsWith(route)) || baseUrl
 
   // find permission w.r.t user
   const permission = await Permission.findOne({
@@ -35,6 +38,21 @@ export const authorize: RequestHandler = async (req, res, next) => {
     else return res.sendStatus(401)
   }
 
+  // find permission w.r.t user on top level
+  const topLevelPermission = await Permission.findOne({
+    path: topLevelRoute,
+    type: PermissionType.route,
+    user: dbUser._id
+  })
+
+  if (topLevelPermission) {
+    if (topLevelPermission.setting === PermissionSettingForRoute.grant)
+      return next()
+    else return res.sendStatus(401)
+  }
+
+  let isPermissionDenied = false
+
   // find permission w.r.t user's groups
   for (const group of dbUser.groups) {
     const groupPermission = await Permission.findOne({
@@ -42,8 +60,28 @@ export const authorize: RequestHandler = async (req, res, next) => {
       type: PermissionType.route,
       group
     })
-    if (groupPermission?.setting === PermissionSettingForRoute.grant)
-      return next()
+
+    if (groupPermission) {
+      if (groupPermission.setting === PermissionSettingForRoute.grant) {
+        return next()
+      } else {
+        isPermissionDenied = true
+      }
+    }
   }
+
+  if (!isPermissionDenied) {
+    // find permission w.r.t user's groups on top level
+    for (const group of dbUser.groups) {
+      const groupPermission = await Permission.findOne({
+        path: topLevelRoute,
+        type: PermissionType.route,
+        group
+      })
+      if (groupPermission?.setting === PermissionSettingForRoute.grant)
+        return next()
+    }
+  }
+
   return res.sendStatus(401)
 }
diff --git a/api/src/utils/getAuthorizedRoutes.ts b/api/src/utils/getAuthorizedRoutes.ts
index e9dac26..04f556e 100644
--- a/api/src/utils/getAuthorizedRoutes.ts
+++ b/api/src/utils/getAuthorizedRoutes.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 import { Request } from 'express'
 
+export const TopLevelRoutes = ['/AppStream', '/SASjsApi']
+
 const StaticAuthorizedRoutes = [
-  '/AppStream',
   '/SASjsApi/code/execute',
   '/SASjsApi/stp/execute',
   '/SASjsApi/drive/deploy',
@@ -15,7 +16,7 @@ const StaticAuthorizedRoutes = [
 export const getAuthorizedRoutes = () => {
   const streamingApps = Object.keys(process.appStreamConfig)
   const streamingAppsRoutes = streamingApps.map((app) => `/AppStream/${app}`)
-  return [...StaticAuthorizedRoutes, ...streamingAppsRoutes]
+  return [...TopLevelRoutes, ...StaticAuthorizedRoutes, ...streamingAppsRoutes]
 }
 
 export const getPath = (req: Request) => {