diff --git a/awx/api/filters.py b/awx/api/filters.py
index bf1f356e68..fc9143531f 100644
--- a/awx/api/filters.py
+++ b/awx/api/filters.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ from rest_framework.exceptions import ParseError
 from rest_framework.filters import BaseFilterBackend
 
 # Ansible Tower
-from awx.main.utils import get_type_for_model
+from awx.main.utils import get_type_for_model, to_python_boolean
 
 class ActiveOnlyBackend(BaseFilterBackend):
     '''
@@ -116,17 +116,6 @@ class FieldLookupBackend(BaseFilterBackend):
         new_lookup = '__'.join(new_parts)
         return field, new_lookup
 
-    def to_python_boolean(self, value, allow_none=False):
-        value = unicode(value)
-        if value.lower() in ('true', '1'):
-            return True
-        elif value.lower() in ('false', '0'):
-            return False
-        elif allow_none and value.lower() in ('none', 'null'):
-            return None
-        else:
-            raise ValueError(u'Unable to convert "%s" to boolean' % unicode(value))
-
     def to_python_related(self, value):
         value = unicode(value)
         if value.lower() in ('none', 'null'):
@@ -136,11 +125,11 @@ class FieldLookupBackend(BaseFilterBackend):
 
     def value_to_python_for_field(self, field, value):
         if isinstance(field, models.NullBooleanField):
-            return self.to_python_boolean(value, allow_none=True)
+            return to_python_boolean(value, allow_none=True)
         elif isinstance(field, models.BooleanField):
-            return self.to_python_boolean(value)
+            return to_python_boolean(value)
         elif isinstance(field, RelatedObject):
-            return self.to_python_related(value)
+            return to_python_related(value)
         else:
             return field.to_python(value)
 
diff --git a/awx/main/access.py b/awx/main/access.py
index 06e951d235..1363498a4f 100644
--- a/awx/main/access.py
+++ b/awx/main/access.py
@@ -184,14 +184,14 @@ class UserAccess(BaseAccess):
 
     def can_add(self, data):
         if data is not None and 'is_superuser' in data:
-            if bool(data['is_superuser']) and not self.user.is_superuser:
+            if to_python_boolean(data['is_superuser'], allow_none=True) and not self.user.is_superuser:
                 return False
         return bool(self.user.is_superuser or
                     self.user.admin_of_organizations.filter(active=True).exists())
 
     def can_change(self, obj, data):
         if data is not None and 'is_superuser' in data:
-            if bool(data['is_superuser']) and not self.user.is_superuser:
+            if to_python_boolean(data['is_superuser'], allow_none=True) and not self.user.is_superuser:
                 return False
         # A user can be changed if they are themselves, or by org admins or
         # superusers.  Change permission implies changing only certain fields
diff --git a/awx/main/utils.py b/awx/main/utils.py
index d3574d72f0..b993ae5cc6 100644
--- a/awx/main/utils.py
+++ b/awx/main/utils.py
@@ -61,6 +61,16 @@ def get_object_or_403(klass, *args, **kwargs):
     except queryset.model.MultipleObjectsReturned, e:
         raise PermissionDenied(*e.args)
 
+def to_python_boolean(value, allow_none=False):
+    value = unicode(value)
+    if value.lower() in ('true', '1'):
+        return True
+    elif value.lower() in ('false', '0'):
+        return False
+    elif allow_none and value.lower() in ('none', 'null'):
+        return None
+    else:
+        raise ValueError(u'Unable to convert "%s" to boolean' % unicode(value))
 
 def camelcase_to_underscore(s):
     '''