diff --git a/core/server/models/invite.js b/core/server/models/invite.js
index d4002e87c9..cbd1bc837b 100644
--- a/core/server/models/invite.js
+++ b/core/server/models/invite.js
@@ -47,12 +47,6 @@ Invite = ghostBookshelf.Model.extend({
     async permissible(inviteModel, action, context, unsafeAttrs, loadedPermissions, hasUserPermission, hasApiKeyPermission) {
         const isAdd = (action === 'add');
 
-        if (isAdd && limitService.isLimited('staff')) {
-            // CASE: if your site is limited to a certain number of staff users
-            // Inviting a new user requires we check we won't go over the limit
-            await limitService.errorIfWouldGoOverLimit('staff');
-        }
-
         if (!isAdd) {
             if (hasUserPermission && hasApiKeyPermission) {
                 return Promise.resolve();
@@ -66,7 +60,7 @@ Invite = ghostBookshelf.Model.extend({
         // CASE: make sure user is allowed to add a user with this role
         return ghostBookshelf.model('Role')
             .findOne({id: unsafeAttrs.role_id})
-            .then((roleToInvite) => {
+            .then(async (roleToInvite) => {
                 if (!roleToInvite) {
                     return Promise.reject(new errors.NotFoundError({
                         message: i18n.t('errors.api.invites.roleNotFound')
@@ -79,6 +73,12 @@ Invite = ghostBookshelf.Model.extend({
                     }));
                 }
 
+                if (isAdd && limitService.isLimited('staff') && roleToInvite.get('name') !== 'Contributor') {
+                    // CASE: if your site is limited to a certain number of staff users
+                    // Inviting a new user requires we check we won't go over the limit
+                    await limitService.errorIfWouldGoOverLimit('staff');
+                }
+
                 let allowed = [];
 
                 if (_.some(loadedPermissions.user.roles, {name: 'Owner'}) ||