diff --git a/lib/cooked_post_processor.rb b/lib/cooked_post_processor.rb
index 58c599b75eb..bab2cee5164 100644
--- a/lib/cooked_post_processor.rb
+++ b/lib/cooked_post_processor.rb
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ class CookedPostProcessor
   end
 
   def create_firsts
+    return unless Guardian.new.can_see?(@post)
+
     created = false
 
     if @doc.css("img.emoji").size > 0
diff --git a/spec/models/user_firsts_spec.rb b/spec/models/user_firsts_spec.rb
index 69bc5996d28..d956875bc3f 100644
--- a/spec/models/user_firsts_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/user_firsts_spec.rb
@@ -30,4 +30,17 @@ describe UserFirst do
     end
   end
 
+  context "privacy" do
+    let(:codinghorror) { Fabricate(:codinghorror) }
+
+    it "doesn't create the userfirst on private posts" do
+      post = PostCreator.create(user,
+                                target_usernames: ['codinghorror'],
+                                title: "this topic is about candy",
+                                raw: "time to eat some sweet :candy: mmmm")
+
+      uf = UserFirst.where(user_id: user.id, first_type: UserFirst.types[:used_emoji]).first
+      expect(uf).to be_blank
+    end
+  end
 end