diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/restapi/change/ListChangeComments.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/restapi/change/ListChangeComments.java
index 78ec451e4f..ef5ce619ff 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/restapi/change/ListChangeComments.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/restapi/change/ListChangeComments.java
@@ -57,17 +57,12 @@ public class ListChangeComments implements RestReadView<ChangeResource> {
   @Override
   public Response<Map<String, List<CommentInfo>>> apply(ChangeResource rsrc)
       throws AuthException, PermissionBackendException {
-    if (!rsrc.getUser().isIdentifiedUser()) {
-      throw new AuthException("Authentication required");
-    }
+    /** List change comments does not require authentication */
     return Response.ok(getAsMap(listComments(rsrc), rsrc));
   }
 
-  public List<CommentInfo> getComments(ChangeResource rsrc)
-      throws AuthException, PermissionBackendException {
-    if (!rsrc.getUser().isIdentifiedUser()) {
-      throw new AuthException("Authentication required");
-    }
+  public List<CommentInfo> getComments(ChangeResource rsrc) throws PermissionBackendException {
+    /** List change comments does not require authentication */
     return getAsList(listComments(rsrc), rsrc);
   }