diff --git a/contracts/mining.js b/contracts/mining.js
index 88bbdbe0..85e5da7f 100644
--- a/contracts/mining.js
+++ b/contracts/mining.js
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ actions.updatePool = async (payload) => {
   // eslint-disable-next-line no-template-curly-in-string
   const utilityTokenBalance = await api.db.findOneInTable('tokens', 'balances', { account: api.sender, symbol: "'${CONSTANTS.UTILITY_TOKEN_SYMBOL}$'" });
 
-  const authorized = api.BigNumber(poolUpdateFee).lte(0)
+  const authorized = api.BigNumber(poolUpdateFee).lte(0) || api.sender === api.owner
     ? true
     : utilityTokenBalance && api.BigNumber(utilityTokenBalance.balance).gte(poolUpdateFee);
 
@@ -236,7 +236,8 @@ actions.updatePool = async (payload) => {
       const pool = await api.db.findOne('pools', { id });
       if (api.assert(pool, 'pool id not found')) {
         const minedTokenObject = await api.db.findOneInTable('tokens', 'tokens', { symbol: pool.minedToken });
-        if (api.assert(minedTokenObject && minedTokenObject.issuer === api.sender, 'must be issuer of minedToken')
+        // eslint-disable-next-line no-template-curly-in-string
+        if (api.assert(minedTokenObject && (minedTokenObject.issuer === api.sender || (minedTokenObject.symbol === "'${CONSTANTS.UTILITY_TOKEN_SYMBOL}$'" && api.sender === api.owner)), 'must be issuer of minedToken')
           && api.assert(api.BigNumber(lotteryAmount).dp() <= minedTokenObject.precision, 'minedToken precision mismatch for lotteryAmount')) {
           const validMinersChange = validateTokenMinersChange(pool.tokenMiners, tokenMiners);
           if (validMinersChange) {
@@ -259,7 +260,7 @@ actions.updatePool = async (payload) => {
             await api.db.update('pools', pool);
 
             // burn the token creation fees
-            if (api.BigNumber(poolUpdateFee).gt(0)) {
+            if (api.sender !== api.owner && api.BigNumber(poolUpdateFee).gt(0)) {
               await api.executeSmartContract('tokens', 'transfer', {
                 // eslint-disable-next-line no-template-curly-in-string
                 to: 'null', symbol: "'${CONSTANTS.UTILITY_TOKEN_SYMBOL}$'", quantity: poolUpdateFee, isSignedWithActiveKey,
@@ -291,7 +292,7 @@ actions.createPool = async (payload) => {
   // eslint-disable-next-line no-template-curly-in-string
   const utilityTokenBalance = await api.db.findOneInTable('tokens', 'balances', { account: api.sender, symbol: "'${CONSTANTS.UTILITY_TOKEN_SYMBOL}$'" });
 
-  const authorizedCreation = api.BigNumber(poolCreationFee).lte(0)
+  const authorizedCreation = api.BigNumber(poolCreationFee).lte(0) || api.sender === api.owner
     ? true
     : utilityTokenBalance && api.BigNumber(utilityTokenBalance.balance).gte(poolCreationFee);
 
@@ -306,7 +307,8 @@ actions.createPool = async (payload) => {
       const minedTokenObject = await api.db.findOneInTable('tokens', 'tokens', { symbol: minedToken });
 
       if (api.assert(minedTokenObject, 'minedToken does not exist')
-        && api.assert(minedTokenObject.issuer === api.sender, 'must be issuer of minedToken')
+        // eslint-disable-next-line no-template-curly-in-string
+        && api.assert(minedTokenObject.issuer === api.sender || (minedTokenObject.symbol === "'${CONSTANTS.UTILITY_TOKEN_SYMBOL}$'" && api.sender === api.owner), 'must be issuer of minedToken')
         && api.assert(api.BigNumber(lotteryAmount).dp() <= minedTokenObject.precision, 'minedToken precision mismatch for lotteryAmount')
         && await validateTokenMiners(tokenMiners)) {
         const blockDate = new Date(`${api.hiveBlockTimestamp}.000Z`);
@@ -337,7 +339,7 @@ actions.createPool = async (payload) => {
           await api.db.insert('pools', newPool);
 
           // burn the token creation fees
-          if (api.BigNumber(poolCreationFee).gt(0)) {
+          if (api.sender !== api.owner && api.BigNumber(poolCreationFee).gt(0)) {
             await api.executeSmartContract('tokens', 'transfer', {
               // eslint-disable-next-line no-template-curly-in-string
               to: 'null', symbol: "'${CONSTANTS.UTILITY_TOKEN_SYMBOL}$'", quantity: poolCreationFee, isSignedWithActiveKey,
diff --git a/test/mining.js b/test/mining.js
index 6c0d2f9d..187a622c 100644
--- a/test/mining.js
+++ b/test/mining.js
@@ -850,6 +850,64 @@ describe('mining', function () {
       });
   });
 
+  it('should update mining pool for utility token as api owner', (done) => {
+    new Promise(async (resolve) => {
+      await loadPlugin(blockchain);
+      database1 = new Database();
+
+      await database1.init(conf.databaseURL, conf.databaseName);
+
+      let transactions = [];
+      transactions.push(new Transaction(12345678901, getNextTxId(), CONSTANTS.HIVE_ENGINE_ACCOUNT, 'contract', 'update', JSON.stringify(tokensContractPayload)));
+      transactions.push(new Transaction(12345678901, getNextTxId(), CONSTANTS.HIVE_ENGINE_ACCOUNT, 'contract', 'deploy', JSON.stringify(contractPayload)));
+      transactions.push(new Transaction(12345678901, getNextTxId(), CONSTANTS.HIVE_ENGINE_ACCOUNT, 'mining', 'createPool', `{ "lotteryWinners": 1, "lotteryIntervalHours": 720, "lotteryAmount": "1", "minedToken": "${CONSTANTS.UTILITY_TOKEN_SYMBOL}", "tokenMiners": [{"symbol": "${CONSTANTS.UTILITY_TOKEN_SYMBOL}", "multiplier": 1}], "isSignedWithActiveKey": true }`));
+
+      let block = {
+        refHiveBlockNumber: 12345678901,
+        refHiveBlockId: 'ABCD1',
+        prevRefHiveBlockId: 'ABCD2',
+        timestamp: '2018-06-01T00:00:00',
+        transactions,
+      };
+
+      await send(blockchain.PLUGIN_NAME, 'MASTER', { action: blockchain.PLUGIN_ACTIONS.PRODUCE_NEW_BLOCK_SYNC, payload: block });
+
+      await assertNoErrorInLastBlock();
+
+      await assertTokenPool(CONSTANTS.UTILITY_TOKEN_SYMBOL, `${CONSTANTS.UTILITY_TOKEN_SYMBOL}:${CONSTANTS.UTILITY_TOKEN_SYMBOL}`);
+      await assertPool({id: `${CONSTANTS.UTILITY_TOKEN_SYMBOL}:${CONSTANTS.UTILITY_TOKEN_SYMBOL}`, totalPower: '0', lotteryWinners: 1, lotteryIntervalHours: 720, lotteryAmount: "1", nextLotteryTimestamp: new Date('2018-07-01T00:00:00.000Z').getTime()}, { inProgress: false, lastAccountId: 0, tokenIndex: 0 });
+      await assertUserBalances(CONSTANTS.HIVE_ENGINE_ACCOUNT, CONSTANTS.UTILITY_TOKEN, '1500011.41552511', 0);
+
+      transactions = [];
+      transactions.push(new Transaction(12345678903, getNextTxId(), CONSTANTS.HIVE_ENGINE_ACCOUNT, 'mining', 'updatePool', `{ "id": "${CONSTANTS.UTILITY_TOKEN_SYMBOL}:${CONSTANTS.UTILITY_TOKEN_SYMBOL}", "lotteryWinners": 2, "lotteryIntervalHours": 3, "lotteryAmount": "15.7", "minedToken": "${CONSTANTS.UTILITY_TOKEN_SYMBOL}", "tokenMiners": [{"symbol": "${CONSTANTS.UTILITY_TOKEN_SYMBOL}", "multiplier": 1}], "isSignedWithActiveKey": true }`));
+
+      block = {
+        refHiveBlockNumber: 12345678903,
+        refHiveBlockId: 'ABCD1',
+        prevRefHiveBlockId: 'ABCD2',
+        timestamp: '2018-06-01T00:00:00',
+        transactions,
+      };
+
+      await send(blockchain.PLUGIN_NAME, 'MASTER', { action: blockchain.PLUGIN_ACTIONS.PRODUCE_NEW_BLOCK_SYNC, payload: block });
+
+      await assertNoErrorInLastBlock();
+
+      await assertTokenPool(CONSTANTS.UTILITY_TOKEN_SYMBOL, `${CONSTANTS.UTILITY_TOKEN_SYMBOL}:${CONSTANTS.UTILITY_TOKEN_SYMBOL}`);
+
+      await assertPool({id: `${CONSTANTS.UTILITY_TOKEN_SYMBOL}:${CONSTANTS.UTILITY_TOKEN_SYMBOL}`, totalPower: '0', lotteryWinners: 2, lotteryIntervalHours: 3, lotteryAmount: "15.7", nextLotteryTimestamp: new Date('2018-06-01T03:00:00.000Z').getTime()}, { inProgress: false, lastAccountId: 0, tokenIndex: 0 });
+
+      await assertUserBalances(CONSTANTS.HIVE_ENGINE_ACCOUNT, CONSTANTS.UTILITY_TOKEN, '1500011.41552511', 0);
+
+      resolve();
+    })
+      .then(() => {
+        unloadPlugin(blockchain);
+        database1.close();
+        done();
+      });
+  });
+
   it('should not run basic lottery when inactive', (done) => {
     new Promise(async (resolve) => {
       await loadPlugin(blockchain);