diff --git a/app/controllers/grades_controller.rb b/app/controllers/grades_controller.rb
index 1823b04..9f7ed59 100644
--- a/app/controllers/grades_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/grades_controller.rb
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ class GradesController < ApplicationController
   end
 
   before_action only: [:show, :update] do
-    validate_grade(:id, 0)
+    validate_grade_and_release(:id, 0, "grade")
   end
 
   def index
diff --git a/app/controllers/releases_controller.rb b/app/controllers/releases_controller.rb
index 3b10f44..1fcfd57 100644
--- a/app/controllers/releases_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/releases_controller.rb
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ class ReleasesController < ApplicationController
   end
 
   before_action only: [:show, :edit, :update, :destroy] do
-    validate_release(:id, 0)
+    validate_grade_and_release(:id, 0, "release")
   end
 
   def index
diff --git a/app/controllers/sprints_controller.rb b/app/controllers/sprints_controller.rb
index c82535a..1a5ebb5 100644
--- a/app/controllers/sprints_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/sprints_controller.rb
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ class SprintsController < ApplicationController
   before_action :set_sprint, only: [:show, :update, :destroy, :get_burndown]
 
   before_action only: [:index, :create] do
-    validate_release(0, :release_id)
+    validate_grade_and_release(0, :release_id, "release")
   end
 
   before_action only: [:show, :update, :destroy, :get_velocity, :get_metrics] do
diff --git a/app/helpers/validations_helper.rb b/app/helpers/validations_helper.rb
index 76f37b9..389ea80 100644
--- a/app/helpers/validations_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/validations_helper.rb
@@ -86,24 +86,14 @@ def validate_project(id, project_id)
     end
   end
 
-
-  def validate_grade(id, grade_id)
+  def validate_grade_and_release(id, element_id, component_type)
     current_user
-    verifies_id(id, grade_id, "grade")
-    project_grade
-    user
-
-    if @current_user.id == @user.id
-      return true
+    verifies_id(id, element_id, component_type)
+    if component_type == "grade"
+      project_grade
     else
-      render json: { error: "Not Authorized" }, status: 401
+      project
     end
-  end
-
-  def validate_release(id, release_id)
-    current_user
-    verifies_id(id, release_id, "release")
-    project
     user
 
     if @current_user.id == @user.id