diff --git a/heat/db/sqlalchemy/api.py b/heat/db/sqlalchemy/api.py
index 4cc26c4406..a92a6fbeba 100644
--- a/heat/db/sqlalchemy/api.py
+++ b/heat/db/sqlalchemy/api.py
@@ -1192,7 +1192,7 @@ def software_deployment_create(context, values):
 def software_deployment_get(context, deployment_id):
     result = context.session.query(
         models.SoftwareDeployment).get(deployment_id)
-    if (result is not None and context is not None and
+    if (result is not None and context is not None and not context.is_admin and
         context.tenant_id not in (result.tenant,
                                   result.stack_user_project_id)):
         result = None
@@ -1205,14 +1205,14 @@ def software_deployment_get(context, deployment_id):
 
 def software_deployment_get_all(context, server_id=None):
     sd = models.SoftwareDeployment
-    query = context.session.query(
-        sd
-    ).filter(sqlalchemy.or_(
-             sd.tenant == context.tenant_id,
-             sd.stack_user_project_id == context.tenant_id)
-             ).order_by(sd.created_at)
+    query = context.session.query(sd).order_by(sd.created_at)
+    if not context.is_admin:
+        query = query.filter(sqlalchemy.or_(
+            sd.tenant == context.tenant_id,
+            sd.stack_user_project_id == context.tenant_id))
     if server_id:
         query = query.filter_by(server_id=server_id)
+
     return query.all()
 
 
diff --git a/heat/tests/db/test_sqlalchemy_api.py b/heat/tests/db/test_sqlalchemy_api.py
index 3502581e02..096d3b88f4 100644
--- a/heat/tests/db/test_sqlalchemy_api.py
+++ b/heat/tests/db/test_sqlalchemy_api.py
@@ -1191,6 +1191,12 @@ class SqlAlchemyTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         self.assertIsNotNone(deployment)
         self.assertEqual(values['tenant'], deployment.tenant)
 
+        # admin can get the deployments
+        admin_ctx = utils.dummy_context(is_admin=True,
+                                        tenant_id='admin_tenant')
+        deployment = db_api.software_deployment_get(admin_ctx, deployment_id)
+        self.assertIsNotNone(deployment)
+
     def test_software_deployment_get_all(self):
         self.assertEqual([], db_api.software_deployment_get_all(self.ctx))
         values = self._deployment_values()
@@ -1206,6 +1212,11 @@ class SqlAlchemyTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         deployments = db_api.software_deployment_get_all(
             self.ctx, server_id=str(uuid.uuid4()))
         self.assertEqual([], deployments)
+        # admin can get the deployments of other tenants
+        admin_ctx = utils.dummy_context(is_admin=True,
+                                        tenant_id='admin_tenant')
+        deployments = db_api.software_deployment_get_all(admin_ctx)
+        self.assertEqual(1, len(deployments))
 
     def test_software_deployment_update(self):
         deployment_id = str(uuid.uuid4())
@@ -1221,8 +1232,15 @@ class SqlAlchemyTest(common.HeatTestCase):
             self.ctx, deployment_id, values)
         self.assertIsNotNone(deployment)
         self.assertEqual(values['status'], deployment.status)
+        admin_ctx = utils.dummy_context(is_admin=True,
+                                        tenant_id='admin_tenant')
+        values = {'status': 'FAILED'}
+        deployment = db_api.software_deployment_update(
+            admin_ctx, deployment_id, values)
+        self.assertIsNotNone(deployment)
+        self.assertEqual(values['status'], deployment.status)
 
-    def test_software_deployment_delete(self):
+    def _test_software_deployment_delete(self, test_ctx=None):
         deployment_id = str(uuid.uuid4())
         err = self.assertRaises(exception.NotFound,
                                 db_api.software_deployment_delete,
@@ -1231,18 +1249,28 @@ class SqlAlchemyTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         values = self._deployment_values()
         deployment = db_api.software_deployment_create(self.ctx, values)
         deployment_id = deployment.id
-        deployment = db_api.software_deployment_get(self.ctx, deployment_id)
+        test_ctx = test_ctx or self.ctx
+        deployment = db_api.software_deployment_get(test_ctx, deployment_id)
         self.assertIsNotNone(deployment)
-        db_api.software_deployment_delete(self.ctx, deployment_id)
+        db_api.software_deployment_delete(test_ctx, deployment_id)
 
         err = self.assertRaises(
             exception.NotFound,
             db_api.software_deployment_get,
-            self.ctx,
+            test_ctx,
             deployment_id)
 
         self.assertIn(deployment_id, six.text_type(err))
 
+    def test_software_deployment_delete(self):
+        self._test_software_deployment_delete()
+
+    def test_software_deployment_delete_by_admin(self):
+        admin_ctx = utils.dummy_context(is_admin=True,
+                                        tenant_id='admin_tenant')
+
+        self._test_software_deployment_delete(test_ctx=admin_ctx)
+
     def test_snapshot_create(self):
         template = create_raw_template(self.ctx)
         user_creds = create_user_creds(self.ctx)