3 files changed, 47 insertions, 1 deletions
diff --git a/lib/api/award_emoji.rb b/lib/api/award_emoji.rb
index fd36b364d56..e419a025508 100644
--- a/lib/api/award_emoji.rb
+++ b/lib/api/award_emoji.rb
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ module API
       def read_ability(awardable)
         case awardable
         when Note
-          read_ability(awardable.noteable)
+          awardable.issuable_ability_name
         when Snippet, ProjectSnippet
           :read_snippet
         else
diff --git a/spec/models/note_spec.rb b/spec/models/note_spec.rb
index 670a6237788..1b44da75c40 100644
--- a/spec/models/note_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/note_spec.rb
@@ -1888,4 +1888,20 @@ RSpec.describe Note do
       end
     end
   end
+
+  describe '#issuable_ability_name' do
+    subject { note.issuable_ability_name }
+
+    context 'when not confidential note' do
+      let(:note) { build(:note) }
+
+      it { is_expected.to eq :read_note }
+    end
+
+    context 'when confidential note' do
+      let(:note) { build(:note, :confidential) }
+
+      it { is_expected.to eq :read_internal_note }
+    end
+  end
 end
diff --git a/spec/requests/api/award_emoji_spec.rb b/spec/requests/api/award_emoji_spec.rb
index 67ddaf2fda5..bb563f93bfe 100644
--- a/spec/requests/api/award_emoji_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/api/award_emoji_spec.rb
@@ -191,6 +191,36 @@ RSpec.describe API::AwardEmoji do
       expect(json_response['name']).to eq(rocket.name)
     end
 
+    context 'when a confidential note' do
+      subject(:perform_request) { get api(request_path, current_user) }
+
+      let_it_be(:group) { create(:group) }
+      let_it_be(:project) { create(:project, :public, namespace: group) }
+      let_it_be(:issue) { create(:issue, project: project) }
+      let_it_be(:note) { create(:note, :confidential, project: project, noteable: issue, author: user) }
+
+      context 'with sufficient persmissions' do
+        let(:current_user) { user }
+
+        it 'returns an award emoji' do
+          perform_request
+
+          expect(response).to have_gitlab_http_status(:ok)
+          expect(json_response['name']).to eq(rocket.name)
+        end
+      end
+
+      context 'with insufficient permissions' do
+        let(:current_user) { nil }
+
+        it 'returns 404' do
+          perform_request
+
+          expect(response).to have_gitlab_http_status(:not_found)
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
     it_behaves_like 'unauthenticated request to public awardable'
     it_behaves_like 'request with insufficient permissions', :get
   end