diff --git a/coderd/database/dbauthz/dbauthz.go b/coderd/database/dbauthz/dbauthz.go
index f3ea758dce..afeab08de9 100644
--- a/coderd/database/dbauthz/dbauthz.go
+++ b/coderd/database/dbauthz/dbauthz.go
@@ -953,14 +953,9 @@ func (q *querier) GetLatestWorkspaceBuilds(ctx context.Context) ([]database.Work
 }
 
 func (q *querier) GetLatestWorkspaceBuildsByWorkspaceIDs(ctx context.Context, ids []uuid.UUID) ([]database.WorkspaceBuild, error) {
-	// This is not ideal as not all builds will be returned if the workspace cannot be read.
-	// This should probably be handled differently? Maybe join workspace builds with workspace
-	// ownership properties and filter on that.
-	for _, id := range ids {
-		_, err := q.GetWorkspaceByID(ctx, id)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
+	// This function is a system function until we implement a join for workspace builds.
+	if err := q.authorizeContext(ctx, rbac.ActionRead, rbac.ResourceSystem); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	return q.db.GetLatestWorkspaceBuildsByWorkspaceIDs(ctx, ids)
diff --git a/coderd/database/dbauthz/dbauthz_test.go b/coderd/database/dbauthz/dbauthz_test.go
index 76e541f31b..f3313c7680 100644
--- a/coderd/database/dbauthz/dbauthz_test.go
+++ b/coderd/database/dbauthz/dbauthz_test.go
@@ -1024,11 +1024,6 @@ func (s *MethodTestSuite) TestWorkspace() {
 		b := dbgen.WorkspaceBuild(s.T(), db, database.WorkspaceBuild{WorkspaceID: ws.ID})
 		check.Args(ws.ID).Asserts(ws, rbac.ActionRead).Returns(b)
 	}))
-	s.Run("GetLatestWorkspaceBuildsByWorkspaceIDs", s.Subtest(func(db database.Store, check *expects) {
-		ws := dbgen.Workspace(s.T(), db, database.Workspace{})
-		b := dbgen.WorkspaceBuild(s.T(), db, database.WorkspaceBuild{WorkspaceID: ws.ID})
-		check.Args([]uuid.UUID{ws.ID}).Asserts(ws, rbac.ActionRead).Returns(slice.New(b))
-	}))
 	s.Run("GetWorkspaceAgentByID", s.Subtest(func(db database.Store, check *expects) {
 		ws := dbgen.Workspace(s.T(), db, database.Workspace{})
 		build := dbgen.WorkspaceBuild(s.T(), db, database.WorkspaceBuild{WorkspaceID: ws.ID, JobID: uuid.New()})
@@ -1298,6 +1293,11 @@ func (s *MethodTestSuite) TestSystemFunctions() {
 			LoginType: database.LoginTypeGithub,
 		}).Asserts(rbac.ResourceSystem, rbac.ActionUpdate).Returns(l)
 	}))
+	s.Run("GetLatestWorkspaceBuildsByWorkspaceIDs", s.Subtest(func(db database.Store, check *expects) {
+		ws := dbgen.Workspace(s.T(), db, database.Workspace{})
+		b := dbgen.WorkspaceBuild(s.T(), db, database.WorkspaceBuild{WorkspaceID: ws.ID})
+		check.Args([]uuid.UUID{ws.ID}).Asserts(rbac.ResourceSystem, rbac.ActionRead).Returns(slice.New(b))
+	}))
 	s.Run("UpsertDefaultProxy", s.Subtest(func(db database.Store, check *expects) {
 		check.Args(database.UpsertDefaultProxyParams{}).Asserts(rbac.ResourceSystem, rbac.ActionUpdate).Returns()
 	}))
diff --git a/coderd/workspaces.go b/coderd/workspaces.go
index 8552b6aa59..0aa1cb0675 100644
--- a/coderd/workspaces.go
+++ b/coderd/workspaces.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import (
 	"cdr.dev/slog"
 	"github.com/coder/coder/coderd/audit"
 	"github.com/coder/coder/coderd/database"
+	"github.com/coder/coder/coderd/database/dbauthz"
 	"github.com/coder/coder/coderd/httpapi"
 	"github.com/coder/coder/coderd/httpmw"
 	"github.com/coder/coder/coderd/rbac"
@@ -1031,7 +1032,9 @@ func (api *API) workspaceData(ctx context.Context, workspaces []database.Workspa
 		return workspaceData{}, xerrors.Errorf("get templates: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	builds, err := api.Database.GetLatestWorkspaceBuildsByWorkspaceIDs(ctx, workspaceIDs)
+	// This query must be run as system restricted to be efficient.
+	// nolint:gocritic
+	builds, err := api.Database.GetLatestWorkspaceBuildsByWorkspaceIDs(dbauthz.AsSystemRestricted(ctx), workspaceIDs)
 	if err != nil && !errors.Is(err, sql.ErrNoRows) {
 		return workspaceData{}, xerrors.Errorf("get workspace builds: %w", err)
 	}