diff --git a/keystone/common/policies/policy.py b/keystone/common/policies/policy.py
index e3dffbc50f..b5163f975a 100644
--- a/keystone/common/policies/policy.py
+++ b/keystone/common/policies/policy.py
@@ -25,6 +25,20 @@ deprecated_list_policies = policy.DeprecatedRule(
     check_str=base.RULE_ADMIN_REQUIRED,
 )
 
+deprecated_update_policy = policy.DeprecatedRule(
+    name=base.IDENTITY % 'update_policy',
+    check_str=base.RULE_ADMIN_REQUIRED,
+)
+
+deprecated_create_policy = policy.DeprecatedRule(
+    name=base.IDENTITY % 'create_policy',
+    check_str=base.RULE_ADMIN_REQUIRED,
+)
+
+deprecated_delete_policy = policy.DeprecatedRule(
+    name=base.IDENTITY % 'delete_policy',
+    check_str=base.RULE_ADMIN_REQUIRED,
+)
 
 DEPRECATED_REASON = """
 As of the Train release, the policy API now understands default roles and
@@ -60,25 +74,34 @@ policy_policies = [
         deprecated_since=versionutils.deprecated.TRAIN),
     policy.DocumentedRuleDefault(
         name=base.IDENTITY % 'create_policy',
-        check_str=base.RULE_ADMIN_REQUIRED,
+        check_str=base.SYSTEM_ADMIN,
         scope_types=['system'],
         description='Create policy.',
         operations=[{'path': '/v3/policies',
-                     'method': 'POST'}]),
+                     'method': 'POST'}],
+        deprecated_rule=deprecated_create_policy,
+        deprecated_reason=DEPRECATED_REASON,
+        deprecated_since=versionutils.deprecated.TRAIN),
     policy.DocumentedRuleDefault(
         name=base.IDENTITY % 'update_policy',
-        check_str=base.RULE_ADMIN_REQUIRED,
+        check_str=base.SYSTEM_ADMIN,
         scope_types=['system'],
         description='Update policy.',
         operations=[{'path': '/v3/policies/{policy_id}',
-                     'method': 'PATCH'}]),
+                     'method': 'PATCH'}],
+        deprecated_rule=deprecated_update_policy,
+        deprecated_reason=DEPRECATED_REASON,
+        deprecated_since=versionutils.deprecated.TRAIN),
     policy.DocumentedRuleDefault(
         name=base.IDENTITY % 'delete_policy',
-        check_str=base.RULE_ADMIN_REQUIRED,
+        check_str=base.SYSTEM_ADMIN,
         scope_types=['system'],
         description='Delete policy.',
         operations=[{'path': '/v3/policies/{policy_id}',
-                     'method': 'DELETE'}])
+                     'method': 'DELETE'}],
+        deprecated_rule=deprecated_delete_policy,
+        deprecated_reason=DEPRECATED_REASON,
+        deprecated_since=versionutils.deprecated.TRAIN)
 ]
 
 
diff --git a/keystone/tests/unit/protection/v3/test_policy.py b/keystone/tests/unit/protection/v3/test_policy.py
index da3620f6e4..1479941237 100644
--- a/keystone/tests/unit/protection/v3/test_policy.py
+++ b/keystone/tests/unit/protection/v3/test_policy.py
@@ -159,3 +159,68 @@ class SystemMemberTests(base_classes.TestCaseWithBootstrap,
             r = c.post('/v3/auth/tokens', json=auth)
             self.token_id = r.headers['X-Subject-Token']
             self.headers = {'X-Auth-Token': self.token_id}
+
+
+class SystemAdminTests(base_classes.TestCaseWithBootstrap,
+                       common_auth.AuthTestMixin,
+                       _SystemUserPoliciesTests):
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        super(SystemAdminTests, self).setUp()
+        self.loadapp()
+        self.useFixture(ksfixtures.Policy(self.config_fixture))
+        self.config_fixture.config(group='oslo_policy', enforce_scope=True)
+
+        # Reuse the system administrator account created during
+        # ``keystone-manage bootstrap``
+        self.user_id = self.bootstrapper.admin_user_id
+        auth = self.build_authentication_request(
+            user_id=self.user_id,
+            password=self.bootstrapper.admin_password,
+            system=True
+        )
+
+        # Grab a token using the persona we're testing and prepare headers
+        # for requests we'll be making in the tests.
+        with self.test_client() as c:
+            r = c.post('/v3/auth/tokens', json=auth)
+            self.token_id = r.headers['X-Subject-Token']
+            self.headers = {'X-Auth-Token': self.token_id}
+
+    def test_user_can_create_policy(self):
+        create = {
+            'policy': {
+                'id': uuid.uuid4().hex,
+                'name': uuid.uuid4().hex,
+                'description': uuid.uuid4().hex,
+                'enabled': True,
+                # Store serialized JSON data as the blob to mimic real world usage.
+                'blob': json.dumps({'data': uuid.uuid4().hex, }),
+                'type': uuid.uuid4().hex
+            }
+        }
+        with self.test_client() as c:
+            c.post(
+                '/v3/policies', json=create, headers=self.headers
+            )
+
+    def test_user_can_update_policy(self):
+        policy = unit.new_policy_ref()
+        policy = PROVIDERS.policy_api.create_policy(policy['id'], policy)
+
+        update = {'policy': {'name': uuid.uuid4().hex}}
+
+        with self.test_client() as c:
+            c.patch(
+                '/v3/policies/%s' % policy['id'], json=update,
+                headers=self.headers
+            )
+
+    def test_user_can_delete_policy(self):
+        policy = unit.new_policy_ref()
+        policy = PROVIDERS.policy_api.create_policy(policy['id'], policy)
+
+        with self.test_client() as c:
+            c.delete(
+                '/v3/policies/%s' % policy['id'], headers=self.headers
+            )