diff --git a/redbot/cogs/permissions/permissions.py b/redbot/cogs/permissions/permissions.py
index e432f9bf2..03f3110da 100644
--- a/redbot/cogs/permissions/permissions.py
+++ b/redbot/cogs/permissions/permissions.py
@@ -81,6 +81,11 @@ __version__ = "1.0.0"
 class Permissions(commands.Cog):
     """Customise permissions for commands and cogs."""
 
+    # The command groups in this cog should never directly take any configuration actions
+    # These should be delegated to specific commands so that it remains trivial
+    # to prevent the guild owner from ever locking themselves out
+    # see ``Permissions.__permissions_hook`` for more details
+
     def __init__(self, bot: Red):
         super().__init__()
         self.bot = bot
@@ -108,6 +113,44 @@ class Permissions(commands.Cog):
         self.config.init_custom(COMMAND, 1)
         self.config.register_custom(COMMAND)
 
+    async def __permissions_hook(self, ctx: commands.Context) -> Optional[bool]:
+        """
+        Purpose of this hook is to prevent guild owner lockouts of permissions specifically
+        without modifying rule behavior in any other case.
+
+        Guild owner is not special cased outside of these configuration commands
+        to allow guild owner to restrict the use of potentially damaging commands
+        such as, but not limited to, cleanup to specific channels.
+
+        Leaving the configuration commands special cased allows guild owners to fix
+        any misconfigurations.
+        """
+
+        if ctx.guild:
+            if ctx.author == ctx.guild.owner:
+                # the below should contain all commands from this cog
+                # which configure or are useful to the
+                # configuration of guild permissions and should never
+                # have a potential impact on global configuration
+                # as well as the parent groups
+                if ctx.command in (
+                    self.permissions,  # main top level group
+                    self.permissions_acl,  # acl group
+                    self.permissions_acl_getguild,
+                    self.permissions_acl_setguild,
+                    self.permissions_acl_updateguild,
+                    self.permissions_addguildrule,
+                    self.permissions_clearguildrules,
+                    self.permissions_removeguildrule,
+                    self.permissions_setdefaultguildrule,
+                    self.permissions_canrun,
+                    self.permissions_explain,
+                ):
+                    return True  # permission rules will be ignored at this case
+
+        # this delegates to permissions rules, do not change to False which would deny
+        return None
+
     @commands.group()
     async def permissions(self, ctx: commands.Context):
         """Command permission management tools."""