diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Web/Editors/ContentController.cs b/src/Umbraco.Web/Editors/ContentController.cs
index ee2f2c313a..27d63d9d7a 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Web/Editors/ContentController.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Web/Editors/ContentController.cs
@@ -1830,8 +1830,10 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.Editors
             }
             if (model.ParentId < 0)
             {
-                //cannot move if the content item is not allowed at the root
-                if (toMove.ContentType.AllowedAsRoot == false)
+                //cannot move if the content item is not allowed at the root unless there are
+                //none allowed at root (in which case all should be allowed at root)
+                var contentTypeService = Services.ContentTypeService;
+                if (toMove.ContentType.AllowedAsRoot == false && contentTypeService.GetAll().Any(ct => ct.AllowedAsRoot))
                 {
                     throw new HttpResponseException(
                             Request.CreateNotificationValidationErrorResponse(
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Web/Editors/ContentTypeController.cs b/src/Umbraco.Web/Editors/ContentTypeController.cs
index 756762a853..8a56c87ad9 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Web/Editors/ContentTypeController.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Web/Editors/ContentTypeController.cs
@@ -393,7 +393,11 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.Editors
             IEnumerable<IContentType> types;
             if (contentId == Constants.System.Root)
             {
-                types = Services.ContentTypeService.GetAll().Where(x => x.AllowedAsRoot).ToList();
+                var allContentTypes = Services.ContentTypeService.GetAll().ToList();
+                bool AllowedAsRoot(IContentType x) => x.AllowedAsRoot;
+                types = allContentTypes.Any(AllowedAsRoot)
+                    ? allContentTypes.Where(AllowedAsRoot).ToList()
+                    : allContentTypes;
             }
             else
             {
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Web/Editors/MediaController.cs b/src/Umbraco.Web/Editors/MediaController.cs
index 16816aa9fc..fb6ca39289 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Web/Editors/MediaController.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Web/Editors/MediaController.cs
@@ -870,8 +870,10 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.Editors
             }
             if (model.ParentId < 0)
             {
-                //cannot move if the content item is not allowed at the root
-                if (toMove.ContentType.AllowedAsRoot == false)
+                //cannot move if the content item is not allowed at the root unless there are
+                //none allowed at root (in which case all should be allowed at root)
+                var mediaTypeService = Services.MediaTypeService;
+                if (toMove.ContentType.AllowedAsRoot == false && mediaTypeService.GetAll().Any(ct => ct.AllowedAsRoot))
                 {
                     var notificationModel = new SimpleNotificationModel();
                     notificationModel.AddErrorNotification(Services.TextService.Localize("moveOrCopy/notAllowedAtRoot"), "");