diff --git a/routers/web/shared/user/header.go b/routers/web/shared/user/header.go
index 516c853b02..0ef93815a3 100644
--- a/routers/web/shared/user/header.go
+++ b/routers/web/shared/user/header.go
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ func PrepareContextForProfileBigAvatar(ctx *context.Context) {
 
 func FindUserProfileReadme(ctx *context.Context) (profileGitRepo *git.Repository, profileReadmeBlob *git.Blob, profileClose func()) {
 	profileDbRepo, err := repo_model.GetRepositoryByName(ctx.ContextUser.ID, ".profile")
-	if err == nil && !profileDbRepo.IsEmpty {
+	if err == nil && !profileDbRepo.IsEmpty && !profileDbRepo.IsPrivate {
 		if profileGitRepo, err = git.OpenRepository(ctx, profileDbRepo.RepoPath()); err != nil {
 			log.Error("FindUserProfileReadme failed to OpenRepository: %v", err)
 		} else {