diff --git a/flag.module b/flag.module
index 32148eb..5956080 100644
--- a/flag.module
+++ b/flag.module
@@ -802,7 +802,7 @@ function flag_flag_access($flag, $content_id, $action, $account) {
   if ($flag->content_type == 'node') {
     // For non-existent nodes (such as on the node add form), assume that the
     // current user is creating the content.
-    if (empty($content_id) || !($node = node_load($content_id))) {
+    if (empty($content_id) || !($node = $flag->fetch_content($content_id))) {
       return $flag->access_author == 'others' ? FALSE : NULL;
     }