diff --git a/ckanext/scheming/helpers.py b/ckanext/scheming/helpers.py
index 31d27f36..bddb500a 100644
--- a/ckanext/scheming/helpers.py
+++ b/ckanext/scheming/helpers.py
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ def scheming_datastore_choices(field):
     When columns aren't specified the first column is used as value
     and second column used as label.
     """
-    import ckanapi
+    from ckanapi import LocalCKAN, NotFound, NotAuthorized
     resource_id = field['datastore_choices_resource']
     limit = field.get('datastore_choices_limit', 1000)
     columns = field.get('datastore_choices_columns')
@@ -101,11 +101,14 @@ def scheming_datastore_choices(field):
 
     # anon user must be able to read choices or this helper
     # could be used to leak data from private datastore tables
-    lc = ckanapi.LocalCKAN(user='')
-    result = lc.action.datastore_search(
-        resource_id=resource_id,
-        limit=limit,
-        fields=fields)
+    lc = LocalCKAN(username='')
+    try:
+        result = lc.action.datastore_search(
+            resource_id=resource_id,
+            limit=limit,
+            fields=fields)
+    except (NotFound, NotAuthorized):
+        return []
 
     return [{'value': r[0], 'label': r[1]} for r in result['records']]
 
diff --git a/ckanext/scheming/tests/test_datastore_choices.json b/ckanext/scheming/tests/test_datastore_choices.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6ef1b2d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ckanext/scheming/tests/test_datastore_choices.json
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+{
+  "scheming_version": 1,
+  "dataset_type": "test-datastore-choices",
+  "about_url": "http://github.com/ckan/ckanext-scheming",
+  "dataset_fields": [
+    {
+      "field_name": "title",
+      "label": "Title",
+      "preset": "title",
+      "form_placeholder": "eg. Larry, Peter, Susan"
+    },
+    {
+      "field_name": "name",
+      "label": "URL",
+      "preset": "dataset_slug",
+      "form_placeholder": "eg. camel-no-5"
+    },
+    {
+      "field_name": "category",
+      "label": "Category",
+      "help_text": "Make and model",
+      "help_inline": true,
+      "preset": "select",
+      "choices_helper": "scheming_datastore_choices",
+      "datastore_choices_resource": "category-choices"
+    },
+    {
+      "field_name": "personality",
+      "label": "Personality",
+      "preset": "multiple_checkbox",
+      "choices_helper": "scheming_datastore_choices",
+      "datastore_choices_resource": "personality-choices",
+      "datastore_choices_columns": {
+        "value": "valcol",
+	"label": "labelcol"
+      }
+    }
+  ],
+  "resource_fields": [
+    {
+      "field_name": "url",
+      "label": "Photo",
+      "preset": "resource_url_upload",
+      "form_placeholder": "http://example.com/my-camel-photo.jpg",
+      "upload_label": "Photo"
+    }
+  ]
+}
diff --git a/test.ini b/test.ini
index d6027ac8..bf1bbaf3 100644
--- a/test.ini
+++ b/test.ini
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ ckan.plugins = scheming_datasets scheming_groups scheming_organizations
                scheming_test_plugin
 scheming.dataset_schemas = ckanext.scheming:ckan_dataset.json
                            ckanext.scheming.tests:test_schema.json
+                           ckanext.scheming.tests:test_datastore_choices.json
 scheming.organization_schemas = ckanext.scheming:org_with_dept_id.json
 scheming.group_schemas = ckanext.scheming:group_with_bookface.json
 
diff --git a/test_subclass.ini b/test_subclass.ini
index badc50e3..a1921daa 100644
--- a/test_subclass.ini
+++ b/test_subclass.ini
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ use = config:../ckan/test-core.ini
 ckan.plugins = scheming_test_subclass
                scheming_test_plugin
 scheming.dataset_schemas = ckanext.scheming.tests:test_schema.json
+                           ckanext.scheming.tests:test_datastore_choices.json
 
 ckan.site_logo = /img/logo_64px_wide.png
 ckan.favicon = /images/icons/ckan.ico