diff --git a/app/controllers/workflows_controller.rb b/app/controllers/workflows_controller.rb
index 3c49de8d5..70932ebbc 100644
--- a/app/controllers/workflows_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/workflows_controller.rb
@@ -66,14 +66,7 @@ class WorkflowsController < ApplicationController
 
     if @role && @tracker
       if request.post?
-        WorkflowPermission.destroy_all({:role_id => @role.id, :tracker_id => @tracker.id})
-        (params[:permissions] || {}).each { |field, rule_by_status_id|
-          rule_by_status_id.each { |status_id, rule|
-            if rule.present?
-              WorkflowPermission.create(:role_id => @role.id, :tracker_id => @tracker.id, :old_status_id => status_id, :field_name => field, :rule => rule)
-            end
-          }
-        }
+        WorkflowPermission.replace_permissions(@tracker, @role, params[:permissions] || {})
         redirect_to :action => 'permissions', :role_id => @role, :tracker_id => @tracker
         return
       end
diff --git a/app/models/workflow_permission.rb b/app/models/workflow_permission.rb
index 72e95543f..75cc4e46c 100644
--- a/app/models/workflow_permission.rb
+++ b/app/models/workflow_permission.rb
@@ -19,6 +19,22 @@ class WorkflowPermission < WorkflowRule
   validates_inclusion_of :rule, :in => %w(readonly required)
   validate :validate_field_name
 
+  # Replaces the workflow permissions for the given tracker and role
+  #
+  # Example:
+  #   WorkflowPermission.replace_permissions role, tracker, {'due_date' => {'1' => 'readonly', '2' => 'required'}}
+  def self.replace_permissions(tracker, role, permissions)
+    destroy_all(:tracker_id => tracker.id, :role_id => role.id)
+
+    permissions.each { |field, rule_by_status_id|
+      rule_by_status_id.each { |status_id, rule|
+        if rule.present?
+          WorkflowPermission.create(:role_id => role.id, :tracker_id => tracker.id, :old_status_id => status_id, :field_name => field, :rule => rule)
+        end
+      }
+    }
+  end
+
   protected
 
   def validate_field_name