diff --git a/awx/api/permissions.py b/awx/api/permissions.py
index a655360dc8..b534fbf824 100644
--- a/awx/api/permissions.py
+++ b/awx/api/permissions.py
@@ -4,9 +4,6 @@
 # Python
 import logging
 
-# Django
-from django.http import Http404
-
 # Django REST Framework
 from rest_framework.exceptions import MethodNotAllowed, PermissionDenied
 from rest_framework import permissions
@@ -19,7 +16,8 @@ from awx.main.utils import get_object_or_400
 logger = logging.getLogger('awx.api.permissions')
 
 __all__ = ['ModelAccessPermission', 'JobTemplateCallbackPermission',
-           'TaskPermission', 'ProjectUpdatePermission', 'UserPermission']
+           'TaskPermission', 'ProjectUpdatePermission', 'UserPermission',
+           'HostPermission',]
 
 
 class ModelAccessPermission(permissions.BasePermission):
@@ -96,13 +94,6 @@ class ModelAccessPermission(permissions.BasePermission):
         method based on the request method.
         '''
 
-        # Check that obj (if given) is active, otherwise raise a 404.
-        active = getattr(obj, 'active', getattr(obj, 'is_active', True))
-        if callable(active):
-            active = active()
-        if not active:
-            raise Http404()
-
         # Don't allow anonymous users. 401, not 403, hence no raised exception.
         if not request.user or request.user.is_anonymous():
             return False
@@ -216,3 +207,25 @@ class UserPermission(ModelAccessPermission):
         elif request.user.is_superuser:
             return True
         raise PermissionDenied()
+
+
+class HostPermission(ModelAccessPermission):
+    '''
+    Allow super super for all operations that don't add or update data.
+    Allow the request to flow through access.py so that even a super-user can't 
+    violate the license host count restriction.
+    '''
+
+    def check_options_permissions(self, request, view, obj=None):
+        view.always_allow_superuser = True
+        return super(HostPermission, self).check_options_permissions(request, view, obj)
+
+    def check_head_permissions(self, request, view, obj=None):
+        view.always_allow_superuser = True
+        return super(HostPermission, self).check_head_permissions(request, view, obj)
+
+    def check_get_permissions(self, request, view, obj=None):
+        view.always_allow_superuser = True
+        return super(HostPermission, self).check_get_permissions(request, view, obj)
+
+
diff --git a/awx/api/views.py b/awx/api/views.py
index 0b223228e0..da9a2df2fa 100644
--- a/awx/api/views.py
+++ b/awx/api/views.py
@@ -1684,8 +1684,10 @@ class HostList(ListCreateAPIView):
 
 class HostDetail(RetrieveUpdateDestroyAPIView):
 
+    always_allow_superuser = False
     model = Host
     serializer_class = HostSerializer
+    permission_classes = (HostPermission,)
 
 
 class InventoryHostsList(SubListCreateAttachDetachAPIView):
diff --git a/awx/main/access.py b/awx/main/access.py
index 460dfe7b4c..52794eee7a 100644
--- a/awx/main/access.py
+++ b/awx/main/access.py
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ class BaseAccess(object):
 
         return True  # User has access to both, permission check passed
 
-    def check_license(self, add_host=False, feature=None, check_expiration=True):
+    def check_license(self, add_host_name=None, feature=None, check_expiration=True):
         validation_info = TaskEnhancer().validate_enhancements()
         if ('test' in sys.argv or 'py.test' in sys.argv[0] or 'jenkins' in sys.argv) and not os.environ.get('SKIP_LICENSE_FIXUP_FOR_TEST', ''):
             validation_info['free_instances'] = 99999999
@@ -299,11 +299,14 @@ class BaseAccess(object):
 
         free_instances = validation_info.get('free_instances', 0)
         available_instances = validation_info.get('available_instances', 0)
-        if add_host and free_instances == 0:
-            raise PermissionDenied(_("License count of %s instances has been reached.") % available_instances)
-        elif add_host and free_instances < 0:
-            raise PermissionDenied(_("License count of %s instances has been exceeded.") % available_instances)
-        elif not add_host and free_instances < 0:
+
+        if add_host_name:
+            host_exists = Host.objects.filter(name=add_host_name).exists()
+            if not host_exists and free_instances == 0:
+                raise PermissionDenied(_("License count of %s instances has been reached.") % available_instances)
+            elif not host_exists and free_instances < 0:
+                raise PermissionDenied(_("License count of %s instances has been exceeded.") % available_instances)
+        elif not add_host_name and free_instances < 0:
             raise PermissionDenied(_("Host count exceeds available instances."))
 
         if feature is not None:
@@ -611,7 +614,7 @@ class HostAccess(BaseAccess):
             return False
 
         # Check to see if we have enough licenses
-        self.check_license(add_host=True)
+        self.check_license(add_host_name=data['name'])
         return True
 
     def can_change(self, obj, data):
@@ -619,6 +622,11 @@ class HostAccess(BaseAccess):
         inventory_pk = get_pk_from_dict(data, 'inventory')
         if obj and inventory_pk and obj.inventory.pk != inventory_pk:
             raise PermissionDenied(_('Unable to change inventory on a host.'))
+
+        # Prevent renaming a host that might exceed license count
+        if 'name' in data:
+            self.check_license(add_host_name=data['name'])
+
         # Checks for admin or change permission on inventory, controls whether
         # the user can edit variable data.
         return obj and self.user in obj.inventory.admin_role