diff --git a/api/src/main/java/org/openmrs/api/ObsService.java b/api/src/main/java/org/openmrs/api/ObsService.java
index 6675515e4177..dc2970ae53a2 100644
--- a/api/src/main/java/org/openmrs/api/ObsService.java
+++ b/api/src/main/java/org/openmrs/api/ObsService.java
@@ -501,11 +501,18 @@ public Integer getObservationCount(List<Person> whom, List<Encounter> encounters
 
 	/**
 	 * @see org.openmrs.api.ObsService#getObservations(java.util.List, java.util.List,
-	 *      java.util.List, java.util.List, List, List, java.util.List, java.util.List, java.lang.Integer,
+	 *      java.util.List, java.util.List, List, List, java.util.List, java.lang.Integer,
 	 *      java.lang.Integer, java.util.Date, java.util.Date, boolean, java.lang.String)
 	 *      
+	 * This method works exactly the same; it only adds visits to the search criteria.
+	 * It effectively surpasses the above method; the old one is however kept for backward
+	 * compatibility reasons.
+	 * 
+	 * @param visits List&lt;Visit&gt; to restrict obs to (optional)
+	 *      
 	 * @since 2.7.0
 	 */
+	@Authorized(PrivilegeConstants.GET_OBS)
 	public List<Obs> getObservations(List<Person> whom, List<Encounter> encounters, List<Concept> questions,
 			List<Concept> answers, List<PERSON_TYPE> personTypes, List<Location> locations, List<String> sort,
 			List<Visit> visits, Integer mostRecentN, Integer obsGroupId, Date fromDate, Date toDate,
@@ -513,11 +520,18 @@ public List<Obs> getObservations(List<Person> whom, List<Encounter> encounters,
 
 	/**
 	 * @see org.openmrs.api.ObsService#getObservationCount(java.util.List, java.util.List,
-	 *      java.util.List, java.util.List, java.util.List, java.util.List, java.util.List, java.lang.Integer,
+	 *      java.util.List, java.util.List, java.util.List, java.util.List, java.lang.Integer,
 	 *      java.util.Date, java.util.Date, boolean, java.lang.String)
 	 *      
+	 * This method works exactly the same; it only adds visits to the search criteria.
+	 * It effectively surpasses the above method; the old one is however kept for backward
+	 * compatibility reasons.
+	 * 
+	 * @param visits List&lt;Visit&gt; to restrict obs to (optional)
+	 *      
 	 * @since 2.7.0
 	 */
+	@Authorized(PrivilegeConstants.GET_OBS)
 	public Integer getObservationCount(List<Person> whom, List<Encounter> encounters, List<Concept> questions,
 			List<Concept> answers, List<PERSON_TYPE> personTypes, List<Location> locations, List<Visit> visits,
 			Integer obsGroupId, Date fromDate, Date toDate, boolean includeVoidedObs, String accessionNumber)