diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/lens_ui_telemetry/factory.ts b/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/lens_ui_telemetry/factory.ts
index b09d757b3714..f010c0b8114b 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/lens_ui_telemetry/factory.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/lens_ui_telemetry/factory.ts
@@ -98,6 +98,12 @@ export class LensReportManager {
         this.write();
       } catch (e) {
         // Silent error because events will be reported during the next timer
+
+        // If posting stats is forbidden for the current user, stop attempting to send them,
+        // but keep them in storage to push in case the user logs in with sufficient permissions at some point.
+        if (e.response && e.response.status === 403) {
+          this.stop();
+        }
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/lens/server/routes/telemetry.ts b/x-pack/plugins/lens/server/routes/telemetry.ts
index d4eec5beaba9..cb8cf4b15f8d 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/lens/server/routes/telemetry.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/lens/server/routes/telemetry.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import Boom from '@hapi/boom';
 import { errors } from '@elastic/elasticsearch';
 import { CoreSetup } from 'src/core/server';
 import { schema } from '@kbn/config-schema';
+import { SavedObjectsErrorHelpers } from '../../../../../src/core/server';
 import { BASE_API_URL } from '../../common';
 import { PluginStartContract } from '../plugin';
 
@@ -73,6 +74,9 @@ export async function initLensUsageRoute(setup: CoreSetup<PluginStartContract>)
 
         return res.ok({ body: {} });
       } catch (e) {
+        if (SavedObjectsErrorHelpers.isForbiddenError(e)) {
+          return res.forbidden();
+        }
         if (e instanceof errors.ResponseError && e.statusCode === 404) {
           return res.notFound();
         }