diff --git a/plugins/permission-common/src/PermissionClient.test.ts b/plugins/permission-common/src/PermissionClient.test.ts
index 65a7c7fbbe..ec038e7f16 100644
--- a/plugins/permission-common/src/PermissionClient.test.ts
+++ b/plugins/permission-common/src/PermissionClient.test.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import {
   EvaluatePermissionRequest,
   AuthorizeResult,
   IdentifiedPermissionMessage,
+  ConditionalPolicyDecision,
 } from './types/api';
 import { DiscoveryApi } from './types/discovery';
 import { createPermission } from './permissions';
@@ -140,7 +141,7 @@ describe('PermissionClient', () => {
       );
       await expect(
         client.authorize([mockAuthorizeQuery], { token }),
-      ).rejects.toThrowError(/Unexpected authorization response/i);
+      ).rejects.toThrowError(/items in response do not match request/i);
     });
 
     it('should reject invalid responses', async () => {
@@ -209,4 +210,189 @@ describe('PermissionClient', () => {
       expect(mockAuthorizeHandler).not.toBeCalled();
     });
   });
+
+  describe('query', () => {
+    const mockResourceAuthorizeQuery = {
+      permission: mockPermission,
+    };
+
+    const mockPolicyDecisionHandler = jest.fn(
+      (req, res, { json }: RestContext) => {
+        const responses = req.body.items.map(
+          (a: IdentifiedPermissionMessage<ConditionalPolicyDecision>) => ({
+            id: a.id,
+            pluginId: 'test-plugin',
+            resourceType: 'test-resource',
+            result: AuthorizeResult.CONDITIONAL,
+            conditions: {
+              rule: 'FOO',
+              params: ['bar'],
+            },
+          }),
+        );
+
+        return res(json({ items: responses }));
+      },
+    );
+
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      server.use(
+        rest.post(`${mockBaseUrl}/authorize`, mockPolicyDecisionHandler),
+      );
+    });
+
+    afterEach(() => {
+      jest.clearAllMocks();
+    });
+
+    it('should fetch entities from correct endpoint', async () => {
+      await client.query([mockResourceAuthorizeQuery]);
+      expect(mockPolicyDecisionHandler).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it('should include a request body', async () => {
+      await client.query([mockResourceAuthorizeQuery]);
+
+      const request = mockPolicyDecisionHandler.mock.calls[0][0];
+
+      expect(request.body).toEqual({
+        items: [
+          expect.objectContaining({
+            permission: mockPermission,
+          }),
+        ],
+      });
+    });
+
+    it('should return the response from the fetch request', async () => {
+      const response = await client.query([mockResourceAuthorizeQuery]);
+      expect(response[0]).toEqual(
+        expect.objectContaining({
+          result: AuthorizeResult.CONDITIONAL,
+          conditions: {
+            rule: 'FOO',
+            params: ['bar'],
+          },
+        }),
+      );
+    });
+
+    it('should not include authorization headers if no token is supplied', async () => {
+      await client.query([mockResourceAuthorizeQuery]);
+
+      const request = mockPolicyDecisionHandler.mock.calls[0][0];
+      expect(request.headers.has('authorization')).toEqual(false);
+    });
+
+    it('should include correctly-constructed authorization header if token is supplied', async () => {
+      await client.query([mockResourceAuthorizeQuery], {
+        token,
+      });
+
+      const request = mockPolicyDecisionHandler.mock.calls[0][0];
+      expect(request.headers.get('authorization')).toEqual('Bearer fake-token');
+    });
+
+    it('should forward response errors', async () => {
+      mockPolicyDecisionHandler.mockImplementationOnce(
+        (_req, res, { status }: RestContext) => {
+          return res(status(401));
+        },
+      );
+      await expect(
+        client.query([mockResourceAuthorizeQuery], {
+          token,
+        }),
+      ).rejects.toThrowError(/request failed with 401/i);
+    });
+
+    it('should reject responses with missing ids', async () => {
+      mockPolicyDecisionHandler.mockImplementationOnce(
+        (_req, res, { json }: RestContext) => {
+          return res(
+            json({
+              items: [{ id: 'wrong-id', result: AuthorizeResult.ALLOW }],
+            }),
+          );
+        },
+      );
+      await expect(
+        client.query([mockResourceAuthorizeQuery], {
+          token,
+        }),
+      ).rejects.toThrowError(/items in response do not match request/i);
+    });
+
+    it('should reject invalid responses', async () => {
+      mockPolicyDecisionHandler.mockImplementationOnce(
+        (req, res, { json }: RestContext) => {
+          const responses = req.body.items.map(
+            (a: IdentifiedPermissionMessage<ConditionalPolicyDecision>) => ({
+              id: a.id,
+              outcome: AuthorizeResult.ALLOW,
+            }),
+          );
+
+          return res(json({ items: responses }));
+        },
+      );
+      await expect(
+        client.query([mockResourceAuthorizeQuery], {
+          token,
+        }),
+      ).rejects.toThrowError(/invalid input/i);
+    });
+
+    it('should allow all when permission.enabled is false', async () => {
+      mockPolicyDecisionHandler.mockImplementationOnce(
+        (req, res, { json }: RestContext) => {
+          const responses = req.body.map(
+            (a: IdentifiedPermissionMessage<ConditionalPolicyDecision>) => ({
+              id: a.id,
+              result: AuthorizeResult.DENY,
+            }),
+          );
+
+          return res(json({ items: responses }));
+        },
+      );
+      const disabled = new PermissionClient({
+        discovery,
+        config: new ConfigReader({ permission: { enabled: false } }),
+      });
+      const response = await disabled.query([mockResourceAuthorizeQuery], {
+        token,
+      });
+      expect(response[0]).toEqual(
+        expect.objectContaining({ result: AuthorizeResult.ALLOW }),
+      );
+      expect(mockPolicyDecisionHandler).not.toBeCalled();
+    });
+
+    it('should allow all when permission.enabled is not configured', async () => {
+      mockPolicyDecisionHandler.mockImplementationOnce(
+        (req, res, { json }: RestContext) => {
+          const responses = req.body.map(
+            (a: IdentifiedPermissionMessage<ConditionalPolicyDecision>) => ({
+              id: a.id,
+              outcome: AuthorizeResult.DENY,
+            }),
+          );
+
+          return res(json(responses));
+        },
+      );
+      const disabled = new PermissionClient({
+        discovery,
+        config: new ConfigReader({}),
+      });
+      const response = await disabled.query([mockResourceAuthorizeQuery], {
+        token,
+      });
+      expect(response[0]).toEqual(
+        expect.objectContaining({ result: AuthorizeResult.ALLOW }),
+      );
+      expect(mockPolicyDecisionHandler).not.toBeCalled();
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/plugins/permission-common/src/PermissionClient.ts b/plugins/permission-common/src/PermissionClient.ts
index 72f6b04567..9ca9bfe255 100644
--- a/plugins/permission-common/src/PermissionClient.ts
+++ b/plugins/permission-common/src/PermissionClient.ts
@@ -21,19 +21,20 @@ import * as uuid from 'uuid';
 import { z } from 'zod';
 import {
   AuthorizeResult,
-  EvaluatePermissionRequest,
-  EvaluatePermissionResponse,
-  IdentifiedPermissionMessage,
+  DefinitivePolicyDecision,
+  PermissionMessageBatch,
   PermissionCriteria,
   PermissionCondition,
-  EvaluatePermissionResponseBatch,
-  EvaluatePermissionRequestBatch,
+  PermissionEvaluator,
+  PolicyDecision,
+  QueryPermissionRequest,
+  AuthorizePermissionRequest,
+  EvaluatorRequestOptions,
+  AuthorizePermissionResponse,
+  QueryPermissionResponse,
 } from './types/api';
 import { DiscoveryApi } from './types/discovery';
-import {
-  PermissionAuthorizer,
-  AuthorizeRequestOptions,
-} from './types/permission';
+import { AuthorizeRequestOptions } from './types/permission';
 
 const permissionCriteriaSchema: z.ZodSchema<
   PermissionCriteria<PermissionCondition>
@@ -58,30 +59,56 @@ const permissionCriteriaSchema: z.ZodSchema<
     .or(z.object({ not: permissionCriteriaSchema }).strict()),
 );
 
-const responseSchema = z.object({
-  items: z.array(
-    z
-      .object({
-        id: z.string(),
-        result: z
-          .literal(AuthorizeResult.ALLOW)
-          .or(z.literal(AuthorizeResult.DENY)),
-      })
-      .or(
-        z.object({
-          id: z.string(),
-          result: z.literal(AuthorizeResult.CONDITIONAL),
-          conditions: permissionCriteriaSchema,
-        }),
+const authorizeDecisionSchema: z.ZodSchema<DefinitivePolicyDecision> = z.object(
+  {
+    result: z
+      .literal(AuthorizeResult.ALLOW)
+      .or(z.literal(AuthorizeResult.DENY)),
+  },
+);
+
+const policyDecisionSchema: z.ZodSchema<PolicyDecision> = z.union([
+  z.object({
+    result: z
+      .literal(AuthorizeResult.ALLOW)
+      .or(z.literal(AuthorizeResult.DENY)),
+  }),
+  z.object({
+    result: z.literal(AuthorizeResult.CONDITIONAL),
+    pluginId: z.string(),
+    resourceType: z.string(),
+    conditions: permissionCriteriaSchema,
+  }),
+]);
+
+const responseSchema = <T>(
+  itemSchema: z.ZodSchema<T>,
+  ids: Set<string>,
+): z.ZodSchema<PermissionMessageBatch<T>> =>
+  z.object({
+    items: z
+      .array(
+        z.intersection(
+          z.object({
+            id: z.string(),
+          }),
+          itemSchema,
+        ),
+      )
+      .refine(
+        items =>
+          items.length === ids.size && items.every(({ id }) => ids.has(id)),
+        {
+          message: 'Items in response do not match request',
+        },
       ),
-  ),
-});
+  });
 
 /**
  * An isomorphic client for requesting authorization for Backstage permissions.
  * @public
  */
-export class PermissionClient implements PermissionAuthorizer {
+export class PermissionClient implements PermissionEvaluator {
   private readonly enabled: boolean;
   private readonly discovery: DiscoveryApi;
 
@@ -92,35 +119,67 @@ export class PermissionClient implements PermissionAuthorizer {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Request authorization from the permission-backend for the given set of permissions.
+   * Request authorization from the permission-backend for the given set of
+   * permissions.
    *
-   * Authorization requests check that a given Backstage user can perform a protected operation,
-   * potentially for a specific resource (such as a catalog entity). The Backstage identity token
-   * should be included in the `options` if available.
+   * @remarks
    *
-   * Permissions can be imported from plugins exposing them, such as `catalogEntityReadPermission`.
+   * Checks that a given Backstage user can perform a protected operation. When
+   * authorization is for a {@link ResourcePermission}s, a resourceRef
+   * corresponding to the resource should always be supplied along with the
+   * permission. The Backstage identity token should be included in the
+   * `options` if available.
+   *
+   * Permissions can be imported from plugins exposing them, such as
+   * `catalogEntityReadPermission`.
+   *
+   * For each query, the response will be either ALLOW or DENY.
    *
-   * The response will be either ALLOW or DENY when either the permission has no resourceType, or a
-   * resourceRef is provided in the request. For permissions with a resourceType, CONDITIONAL may be
-   * returned if no resourceRef is provided in the request. Conditional responses are intended only
-   * for backends which have access to the data source for permissioned resources, so that filters
-   * can be applied when loading collections of resources.
    * @public
    */
   async authorize(
-    queries: EvaluatePermissionRequest[],
-    options?: AuthorizeRequestOptions,
-  ): Promise<EvaluatePermissionResponse[]> {
+    requests: AuthorizePermissionRequest[],
+    options?: EvaluatorRequestOptions,
+  ): Promise<AuthorizePermissionResponse[]> {
     // TODO(permissions): it would be great to provide some kind of typing guarantee that
     // conditional responses will only ever be returned for requests containing a resourceType
     // but no resourceRef. That way clients who aren't prepared to handle filtering according
     // to conditions can be guaranteed that they won't unexpectedly get a CONDITIONAL response.
 
+    return this.makeRequest(requests, authorizeDecisionSchema, options);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Fetch the conditional authorization decisions for the given set of
+   * {@link ResourcePermission}s in order to apply the conditions to an upstream
+   * data source.
+   *
+   * @remarks
+   *
+   * For each query, the response will be either ALLOW, DENY, or CONDITIONAL.
+   * Conditional responses are intended only for backends which have access to
+   * the data source for permissioned resources, so that filters can be applied
+   * when loading collections of resources.
+   *
+   * @public
+   */
+  async query(
+    queries: QueryPermissionRequest[],
+    options?: EvaluatorRequestOptions,
+  ): Promise<QueryPermissionResponse[]> {
+    return this.makeRequest(queries, policyDecisionSchema, options);
+  }
+
+  private async makeRequest<TQuery, TResult>(
+    queries: TQuery[],
+    itemSchema: z.ZodSchema<TResult>,
+    options?: AuthorizeRequestOptions,
+  ) {
     if (!this.enabled) {
-      return queries.map(_ => ({ result: AuthorizeResult.ALLOW }));
+      return queries.map(_ => ({ result: AuthorizeResult.ALLOW as const }));
     }
 
-    const request: EvaluatePermissionRequestBatch = {
+    const request = {
       items: queries.map(query => ({
         id: uuid.v4(),
         ...query,
@@ -141,12 +200,16 @@ export class PermissionClient implements PermissionAuthorizer {
     }
 
     const responseBody = await response.json();
-    this.assertValidResponse(request, responseBody);
 
-    const responsesById = responseBody.items.reduce((acc, r) => {
+    const parsedResponse = responseSchema(
+      itemSchema,
+      new Set(request.items.map(({ id }) => id)),
+    ).parse(responseBody);
+
+    const responsesById = parsedResponse.items.reduce((acc, r) => {
       acc[r.id] = r;
       return acc;
-    }, {} as Record<string, IdentifiedPermissionMessage<EvaluatePermissionResponse>>);
+    }, {} as Record<string, typeof itemSchema._type>);
 
     return request.items.map(query => responsesById[query.id]);
   }
@@ -154,20 +217,4 @@ export class PermissionClient implements PermissionAuthorizer {
   private getAuthorizationHeader(token?: string): Record<string, string> {
     return token ? { Authorization: `Bearer ${token}` } : {};
   }
-
-  private assertValidResponse(
-    request: EvaluatePermissionRequestBatch,
-    json: any,
-  ): asserts json is EvaluatePermissionResponseBatch {
-    const authorizedResponses = responseSchema.parse(json);
-    const responseIds = authorizedResponses.items.map(r => r.id);
-    const hasAllRequestIds = request.items.every(r =>
-      responseIds.includes(r.id),
-    );
-    if (!hasAllRequestIds) {
-      throw new Error(
-        'Unexpected authorization response from permission-backend',
-      );
-    }
-  }
 }
diff --git a/plugins/permission-common/src/types/api.ts b/plugins/permission-common/src/types/api.ts
index 1bc9af5ad8..c1996fc462 100644
--- a/plugins/permission-common/src/types/api.ts
+++ b/plugins/permission-common/src/types/api.ts
@@ -91,6 +91,20 @@ export type PolicyDecision =
   | DefinitivePolicyDecision
   | ConditionalPolicyDecision;
 
+/**
+ * A query to be evaluated by the {@link PermissionPolicy}.
+ *
+ * @remarks
+ *
+ * Unlike other parts of the permission API, the policy does not accept a resource ref. This keeps
+ * the policy decoupled from the resource loading and condition applying logic.
+ *
+ * @public
+ */
+export type PolicyQuery = {
+  permission: Permission;
+};
+
 /**
  * A condition returned with a CONDITIONAL authorization response.
  *
diff --git a/plugins/permission-common/src/types/index.ts b/plugins/permission-common/src/types/index.ts
index f244a70b1a..dd644ff345 100644
--- a/plugins/permission-common/src/types/index.ts
+++ b/plugins/permission-common/src/types/index.ts
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ export type {
   AllOfCriteria,
   AnyOfCriteria,
   NotCriteria,
+  PolicyQuery,
 } from './api';
 export type { DiscoveryApi } from './discovery';
 export type {
diff --git a/plugins/permission-node/src/ServerPermissionClient.test.ts b/plugins/permission-node/src/ServerPermissionClient.test.ts
index f5711ed4a0..2e3e5d988f 100644
--- a/plugins/permission-node/src/ServerPermissionClient.test.ts
+++ b/plugins/permission-node/src/ServerPermissionClient.test.ts
@@ -17,9 +17,10 @@
 import { ServerPermissionClient } from './ServerPermissionClient';
 import {
   IdentifiedPermissionMessage,
-  EvaluatePermissionRequest,
   AuthorizeResult,
   createPermission,
+  DefinitivePolicyDecision,
+  ConditionalPolicyDecision,
 } from '@backstage/plugin-permission-common';
 import { ConfigReader } from '@backstage/config';
 import {
@@ -31,16 +32,7 @@ import { setupServer } from 'msw/node';
 import { RestContext, rest } from 'msw';
 
 const server = setupServer();
-const mockAuthorizeHandler = jest.fn((req, res, { json }: RestContext) => {
-  const responses = req.body.items.map(
-    (r: IdentifiedPermissionMessage<EvaluatePermissionRequest>) => ({
-      id: r.id,
-      result: AuthorizeResult.ALLOW,
-    }),
-  );
 
-  return res(json({ items: responses }));
-});
 const mockBaseUrl = 'http://backstage:9191/i-am-a-mock-base';
 const discovery: PluginEndpointDiscovery = {
   async getBaseUrl() {
@@ -50,10 +42,17 @@ const discovery: PluginEndpointDiscovery = {
     return mockBaseUrl;
   },
 };
-const testPermission = createPermission({
+const testBasicPermission = createPermission({
   name: 'test.permission',
   attributes: {},
 });
+
+const testResourcePermission = createPermission({
+  name: 'test.permission-2',
+  attributes: {},
+  resourceType: 'resource-type',
+});
+
 const config = new ConfigReader({
   permission: { enabled: true },
   backend: { auth: { keys: [{ secret: 'a-secret-key' }] } },
@@ -63,49 +62,6 @@ const logger = getVoidLogger();
 describe('ServerPermissionClient', () => {
   beforeAll(() => server.listen({ onUnhandledRequest: 'error' }));
   afterAll(() => server.close());
-  beforeEach(() => {
-    server.use(rest.post(`${mockBaseUrl}/authorize`, mockAuthorizeHandler));
-  });
-  afterEach(() => server.resetHandlers());
-
-  it('should bypass authorization if permissions are disabled', async () => {
-    const client = ServerPermissionClient.fromConfig(new ConfigReader({}), {
-      discovery,
-      tokenManager: ServerTokenManager.noop(),
-    });
-
-    await client.authorize([{ permission: testPermission }]);
-
-    expect(mockAuthorizeHandler).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-  });
-
-  it('should bypass authorization if permissions are enabled and request has valid server token', async () => {
-    const tokenManager = ServerTokenManager.fromConfig(config, { logger });
-    const client = ServerPermissionClient.fromConfig(config, {
-      discovery,
-      tokenManager,
-    });
-
-    await client.authorize([{ permission: testPermission }], {
-      token: (await tokenManager.getToken()).token,
-    });
-
-    expect(mockAuthorizeHandler).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-  });
-
-  it('should authorize normally if permissions are enabled and request does not have valid server token', async () => {
-    const tokenManager = ServerTokenManager.fromConfig(config, { logger });
-    const client = ServerPermissionClient.fromConfig(config, {
-      discovery,
-      tokenManager,
-    });
-
-    await client.authorize([{ permission: testPermission }], {
-      token: 'a-user-token',
-    });
-
-    expect(mockAuthorizeHandler).toHaveBeenCalled();
-  });
 
   it('should error if permissions are enabled but a no-op token manager is configured', async () => {
     expect(() =>
@@ -117,4 +73,126 @@ describe('ServerPermissionClient', () => {
       'Backend-to-backend authentication must be configured before enabling permissions. Read more here https://backstage.io/docs/tutorials/backend-to-backend-auth',
     );
   });
+
+  describe('authorize', () => {
+    let mockAuthorizeHandler: jest.Mock;
+
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      mockAuthorizeHandler = jest.fn((req, res, { json }: RestContext) => {
+        const responses = req.body.items.map(
+          (r: IdentifiedPermissionMessage<DefinitivePolicyDecision>) => ({
+            id: r.id,
+            result: AuthorizeResult.ALLOW,
+          }),
+        );
+
+        return res(json({ items: responses }));
+      });
+
+      server.use(rest.post(`${mockBaseUrl}/authorize`, mockAuthorizeHandler));
+    });
+    afterEach(() => server.resetHandlers());
+
+    it('should bypass the permission backend if permissions are disabled', async () => {
+      const client = ServerPermissionClient.fromConfig(new ConfigReader({}), {
+        discovery,
+        tokenManager: ServerTokenManager.noop(),
+      });
+
+      await client.authorize([
+        {
+          permission: testBasicPermission,
+        },
+      ]);
+
+      expect(mockAuthorizeHandler).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it('should bypass the permission backend if permissions are enabled and request has valid server token', async () => {
+      const tokenManager = ServerTokenManager.fromConfig(config, { logger });
+      const client = ServerPermissionClient.fromConfig(config, {
+        discovery,
+        tokenManager,
+      });
+
+      await client.authorize([{ permission: testBasicPermission }], {
+        token: (await tokenManager.getToken()).token,
+      });
+
+      expect(mockAuthorizeHandler).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it('should call the permission backend if permissions are enabled and request does not have valid server token', async () => {
+      const tokenManager = ServerTokenManager.fromConfig(config, { logger });
+      const client = ServerPermissionClient.fromConfig(config, {
+        discovery,
+        tokenManager,
+      });
+
+      await client.authorize([{ permission: testBasicPermission }], {
+        token: 'a-user-token',
+      });
+
+      expect(mockAuthorizeHandler).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('query', () => {
+    let mockAuthorizeHandler: jest.Mock;
+
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      mockAuthorizeHandler = jest.fn((req, res, { json }: RestContext) => {
+        const responses = req.body.items.map(
+          (r: IdentifiedPermissionMessage<ConditionalPolicyDecision>) => ({
+            id: r.id,
+            result: AuthorizeResult.ALLOW,
+          }),
+        );
+
+        return res(json({ items: responses }));
+      });
+
+      server.use(rest.post(`${mockBaseUrl}/authorize`, mockAuthorizeHandler));
+    });
+    afterEach(() => server.resetHandlers());
+
+    it('should bypass the permission backend if permissions are disabled', async () => {
+      const client = ServerPermissionClient.fromConfig(new ConfigReader({}), {
+        discovery,
+        tokenManager: ServerTokenManager.noop(),
+      });
+
+      await client.query([{ permission: testResourcePermission }]);
+
+      expect(mockAuthorizeHandler).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it('should bypass the permission backend if permissions are enabled and request has valid server token', async () => {
+      const tokenManager = ServerTokenManager.fromConfig(config, { logger });
+      const client = ServerPermissionClient.fromConfig(config, {
+        discovery,
+        tokenManager,
+      });
+
+      await client.query([{ permission: testResourcePermission }], {
+        token: (await tokenManager.getToken()).token,
+      });
+
+      expect(mockAuthorizeHandler).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it('should call the permission backend if permissions are enabled and request does not have valid server token', async () => {
+      const tokenManager = ServerTokenManager.fromConfig(config, { logger });
+      const client = ServerPermissionClient.fromConfig(config, {
+        discovery,
+        tokenManager,
+      });
+
+      await client.query([{ permission: testResourcePermission }], {
+        token: 'a-user-token',
+      });
+
+      expect(mockAuthorizeHandler).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/plugins/permission-node/src/ServerPermissionClient.ts b/plugins/permission-node/src/ServerPermissionClient.ts
index 56381dff17..2ea11e9e95 100644
--- a/plugins/permission-node/src/ServerPermissionClient.ts
+++ b/plugins/permission-node/src/ServerPermissionClient.ts
@@ -20,12 +20,14 @@ import {
 } from '@backstage/backend-common';
 import { Config } from '@backstage/config';
 import {
-  EvaluatePermissionRequest,
-  AuthorizeRequestOptions,
-  EvaluatePermissionResponse,
   AuthorizeResult,
   PermissionClient,
-  PermissionAuthorizer,
+  PermissionEvaluator,
+  AuthorizePermissionRequest,
+  EvaluatorRequestOptions,
+  AuthorizePermissionResponse,
+  PolicyDecision,
+  QueryPermissionRequest,
 } from '@backstage/plugin-permission-common';
 
 /**
@@ -34,7 +36,7 @@ import {
  * backend-to-backend requests.
  * @public
  */
-export class ServerPermissionClient implements PermissionAuthorizer {
+export class ServerPermissionClient implements PermissionEvaluator {
   private readonly permissionClient: PermissionClient;
   private readonly tokenManager: TokenManager;
   private readonly permissionEnabled: boolean;
@@ -76,22 +78,22 @@ export class ServerPermissionClient implements PermissionAuthorizer {
     this.tokenManager = options.tokenManager;
     this.permissionEnabled = options.permissionEnabled;
   }
+  async query(
+    queries: QueryPermissionRequest[],
+    options?: EvaluatorRequestOptions,
+  ): Promise<PolicyDecision[]> {
+    return (await this.isEnabled(options?.token))
+      ? this.permissionClient.query(queries, options)
+      : queries.map(_ => ({ result: AuthorizeResult.ALLOW }));
+  }
 
   async authorize(
-    requests: EvaluatePermissionRequest[],
-    options?: AuthorizeRequestOptions,
-  ): Promise<EvaluatePermissionResponse[]> {
-    // Check if permissions are enabled before validating the server token. That
-    // way when permissions are disabled, the noop token manager can be used
-    // without fouling up the logic inside the ServerPermissionClient, because
-    // the code path won't be reached.
-    if (
-      !this.permissionEnabled ||
-      (await this.isValidServerToken(options?.token))
-    ) {
-      return requests.map(_ => ({ result: AuthorizeResult.ALLOW }));
-    }
-    return this.permissionClient.authorize(requests, options);
+    requests: AuthorizePermissionRequest[],
+    options?: EvaluatorRequestOptions,
+  ): Promise<AuthorizePermissionResponse[]> {
+    return (await this.isEnabled(options?.token))
+      ? this.permissionClient.authorize(requests, options)
+      : requests.map(_ => ({ result: AuthorizeResult.ALLOW }));
   }
 
   private async isValidServerToken(
@@ -105,4 +107,12 @@ export class ServerPermissionClient implements PermissionAuthorizer {
       .then(() => true)
       .catch(() => false);
   }
+
+  private async isEnabled(token?: string) {
+    // Check if permissions are enabled before validating the server token. That
+    // way when permissions are disabled, the noop token manager can be used
+    // without fouling up the logic inside the ServerPermissionClient, because
+    // the code path won't be reached.
+    return this.permissionEnabled && !(await this.isValidServerToken(token));
+  }
 }
diff --git a/plugins/permission-node/src/policy/index.ts b/plugins/permission-node/src/policy/index.ts
index f151cfb4fb..0b7e03cc7c 100644
--- a/plugins/permission-node/src/policy/index.ts
+++ b/plugins/permission-node/src/policy/index.ts
@@ -14,4 +14,4 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-export type { PermissionPolicy, PolicyQuery } from './types';
+export type { PermissionPolicy } from './types';
diff --git a/plugins/permission-node/src/policy/types.ts b/plugins/permission-node/src/policy/types.ts
index 0f469cfbfe..992ad3a1cf 100644
--- a/plugins/permission-node/src/policy/types.ts
+++ b/plugins/permission-node/src/policy/types.ts
@@ -15,25 +15,11 @@
  */
 
 import {
-  Permission,
   PolicyDecision,
+  PolicyQuery,
 } from '@backstage/plugin-permission-common';
 import { BackstageIdentityResponse } from '@backstage/plugin-auth-node';
 
-/**
- * A query to be evaluated by the {@link PermissionPolicy}.
- *
- * @remarks
- *
- * Unlike other parts of the permission API, the policy does not accept a resource ref. This keeps
- * the policy decoupled from the resource loading and condition applying logic.
- *
- * @public
- */
-export type PolicyQuery = {
-  permission: Permission;
-};
-
 /**
  * A policy to evaluate authorization requests for any permissioned action performed in Backstage.
  *