diff --git a/pylons_app/model/hg_model.py b/pylons_app/model/hg_model.py
--- a/pylons_app/model/hg_model.py
+++ b/pylons_app/model/hg_model.py
@@ -61,9 +61,9 @@ def _get_repos_cached():
 @cache_region('super_short_term', 'cached_repos_switcher_list')
 def _get_repos_switcher_cached(cached_repo_list):
     repos_lst = []
-    for repo in sorted(x.name.lower() for x in cached_repo_list.values()):
-        if HasRepoPermissionAny('repository.write', 'repository.read', 'repository.admin')(repo, 'main page check'):
-            repos_lst.append(repo)
+    for repo in sorted(x for x in cached_repo_list.values()):
+        if HasRepoPermissionAny('repository.write', 'repository.read', 'repository.admin')(repo.name.lower(), 'main page check'):
+            repos_lst.append((repo.name.lower(), repo.dbrepo.private,))
     
     return repos_lst
 
diff --git a/pylons_app/public/css/style.css b/pylons_app/public/css/style.css
--- a/pylons_app/public/css/style.css
+++ b/pylons_app/public/css/style.css
@@ -514,6 +514,24 @@ div.options a:hover
     width:167px;
 
 }
+#header #header-inner #quick li ul li a.private_repo,
+#header #header-inner #quick li ul li a.private_repo:hover
+{
+    background:url("../images/icons/lock.png") no-repeat scroll 4px 9px #FFFFFF;
+    margin:0;
+    padding:12px 9px 7px 24px;
+    width:167px;
+
+}
+#header #header-inner #quick li ul li a.public_repo,
+#header #header-inner #quick li ul li a.public_repo:hover
+{
+    background:url("../images/icons/lock_open.png") no-repeat scroll 4px 9px #FFFFFF;
+    margin:0;
+    padding:12px 9px 7px 24px;
+    width:167px;
+
+}
 
 #header #header-inner #quick li ul li a.repos,
 #header #header-inner #quick li ul li a.repos:hover
diff --git a/pylons_app/templates/admin/permissions/permissions.html b/pylons_app/templates/admin/permissions/permissions.html
--- a/pylons_app/templates/admin/permissions/permissions.html
+++ b/pylons_app/templates/admin/permissions/permissions.html
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
         
 			<div class="field">
 				<div class="label">
-					<label for="default_perm">${_('Default repository permission')}:</label>
+					<label for="default_perm">${_('Repository permission')}:</label>
 				</div>
 				<div class="select">
 					${h.select('default_perm','',c.perms_choices)}
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
 			</div> 		
              <div class="field">
                 <div class="label">
-                    <label for="default_create">${_('Allow repository creation')}:</label>
+                    <label for="default_create">${_('Repository creation')}:</label>
                 </div>
 				<div class="select">
 					${h.select('default_create','',c.create_choices)}
diff --git a/pylons_app/templates/base/base.html b/pylons_app/templates/base/base.html
--- a/pylons_app/templates/base/base.html
+++ b/pylons_app/templates/base/base.html
@@ -97,8 +97,12 @@
                     <span>&darr;</span>					
 					</a>
 					<ul class="repo_switcher">
-                        %for repo in c.repo_switcher_list:
-                            <li>${h.link_to(repo,h.url('summary_home',repo_name=repo))}</li>
+                        %for repo,private in c.repo_switcher_list:
+                          %if private:
+                             <li>${h.link_to(repo,h.url('summary_home',repo_name=repo),class_="private_repo")}</li>
+                          %else:
+                             <li>${h.link_to(repo,h.url('summary_home',repo_name=repo),class_="public_repo")}</li>
+                          %endif  
                         %endfor					
 					</ul>			
 				</li>