diff --git a/patchwork/tests/test_xmlrpc.py b/patchwork/tests/test_xmlrpc.py
index 4726fdffa5d5..eea0b4eaf560 100644
--- a/patchwork/tests/test_xmlrpc.py
+++ b/patchwork/tests/test_xmlrpc.py
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ from django.conf import settings
 from django.test import LiveServerTestCase
 from django.urls import reverse
 
+from patchwork.models import Person
+from patchwork.models import Project
+from patchwork.models import State
 from patchwork.tests import utils
 
 
@@ -81,6 +84,93 @@ class XMLRPCAuthenticatedTest(LiveServerTestCase):
         self.assertTrue(result['archived'])
 
 
+@unittest.skipUnless(settings.ENABLE_XMLRPC,
+                     'requires xmlrpc interface (use the ENABLE_XMLRPC '
+                     'setting)')
+class XMLRPCStateSettingTest(LiveServerTestCase):
+
+    def url_for_user(self, user):
+        return ('http://%s:%s@' + self.url[7:]) % \
+               (user.username, user.username)
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.url = self.live_server_url + reverse('xmlrpc')
+        # url is of the form http://localhost:PORT/PATH
+        # strip the http and replace it with the username/passwd of a user.
+        self.projects = {}
+        self.maintainers = {}
+        self.delegates = {}
+        self.submitters = {}
+        self.patches = {}
+        self.rpcs = {}
+
+        for project_type in (Project.SUBMITTER_NO_STATE_CHANGES,
+                             Project.SUBMITTER_ALL_STATE_CHANGES):
+            project = utils.create_project(
+                submitter_state_change_rules=project_type)
+            self.projects[project_type] = project
+            self.maintainers[project_type] = utils.create_maintainer(project)
+            submitter = utils.create_user(project)
+            self.submitters[project_type] = submitter
+            delegate = utils.create_user(project)
+            self.delegates[project_type] = delegate
+
+            self.rpcs[project_type] = {
+                'maintainer': ServerProxy(self.url_for_user(
+                    self.maintainers[project_type])),
+                'delegate': ServerProxy(self.url_for_user(delegate)),
+                'submitter': ServerProxy(self.url_for_user(submitter)),
+            }
+
+            patch = utils.create_patch(project=project,
+                                       submitter=Person.objects.get(
+                                           user=submitter),
+                                       delegate=delegate)
+            self.patches[project_type] = patch
+
+        utils.create_state(name="New")
+        utils.create_state(name="RFC")
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        for project_type in self.rpcs:
+            rpc_dict = self.rpcs[project_type]
+            for user in rpc_dict:
+                rpc_dict[user].close()
+
+    def can_set_state(self, patch, rpc):
+        new_state = State.objects.get(name="New")
+        rfc_state = State.objects.get(name="RFC")
+        patch.state = new_state
+        patch.save()
+
+        result = rpc.patch_get(patch.id)
+        self.assertEqual(result['state_id'], new_state.id)
+
+        try:
+            rpc.patch_set(patch.id, {'state': rfc_state.id})
+        except xmlrpc_client.Fault:
+            return False
+
+        # reload the patch
+        result = rpc.patch_get(patch.id)
+        self.assertEqual(result['state_id'], rfc_state.id)
+        return True
+
+    def test_allset(self):
+        rpc_dict = self.rpcs[Project.SUBMITTER_ALL_STATE_CHANGES]
+        patch = self.patches[Project.SUBMITTER_ALL_STATE_CHANGES]
+        self.assertTrue(self.can_set_state(patch, rpc_dict['maintainer']))
+        self.assertTrue(self.can_set_state(patch, rpc_dict['delegate']))
+        self.assertTrue(self.can_set_state(patch, rpc_dict['submitter']))
+
+    def test_noset(self):
+        rpc_dict = self.rpcs[Project.SUBMITTER_NO_STATE_CHANGES]
+        patch = self.patches[Project.SUBMITTER_NO_STATE_CHANGES]
+        self.assertTrue(self.can_set_state(patch, rpc_dict['maintainer']))
+        self.assertTrue(self.can_set_state(patch, rpc_dict['delegate']))
+        self.assertFalse(self.can_set_state(patch, rpc_dict['submitter']))
+
+
 class XMLRPCModelTestMixin(object):
 
     def create_multiple(self, count):
diff --git a/patchwork/views/xmlrpc.py b/patchwork/views/xmlrpc.py
index 6701bf20f386..d73cfa7a8441 100644
--- a/patchwork/views/xmlrpc.py
+++ b/patchwork/views/xmlrpc.py
@@ -713,6 +713,10 @@ def patch_set(user, patch_id, params):
     if not patch.is_editable(user):
         raise Exception('No permissions to edit this patch')
 
+    if 'state' in params:
+        if not patch.can_set_state(user):
+            raise Exception('No permissions to set patch state')
+
     for (k, v) in params.items():
         if k not in ok_params:
             continue
