diff -u b/modules/node/node.module b/modules/node/node.module
--- b/modules/node/node.module
+++ b/modules/node/node.module
@@ -3195,11 +3195,7 @@
  *   arrays of grants for those realms.
  */
 function node_access_grants($op, $account = NULL) {
-  $grants = &drupal_static(__FUNCTION__);
-
-  if (!isset($grants)) {
-    $grants = array();
-  }
+  $grants = &drupal_static(__FUNCTION__, array());
 
   if (!isset($account)) {
     $account = $GLOBALS['user'];
diff -u b/modules/node/node.test b/modules/node/node.test
--- b/modules/node/node.test
+++ b/modules/node/node.test
@@ -2261,7 +2261,6 @@
     // Test that the noAccessUser still doesn't have the 'view'
     // privilege after adding the node_access record.
     drupal_static_reset('node_access_view_all_nodes');
-    drupal_static_reset('node_access_grants');
     try {
       $query = db_select('node', 'mytab')
         ->fields('mytab');
@@ -2284,7 +2283,6 @@
     $this->drupalLogin($this->noAccessUser2);
     variable_set('node_test_node_access_all_uid', $this->noAccessUser->uid);
     drupal_static_reset('node_access_view_all_nodes');
-    drupal_static_reset('node_access_grants');
     try {
       $query = db_select('node', 'mytab')
         ->fields('mytab');
@@ -2333,6 +2331,7 @@
     // Test that the noAccessUser still doesn't have the 'view'
     // privilege after adding the node_access record.
     drupal_static_reset('node_access_view_all_nodes');
+    drupal_static_reset('node_access_grants');
     try {
       $query = db_select('node', 'mytab')
         ->fields('mytab');
@@ -2355,6 +2354,7 @@
     $this->drupalLogin($this->noAccessUser2);
     variable_set('node_test_node_access_all_uid', $this->noAccessUser->uid);
     drupal_static_reset('node_access_view_all_nodes');
+    drupal_static_reset('node_access_grants');
     try {
       $query = db_select('node', 'mytab')
         ->fields('mytab');