diff --git a/packages/accounts-base/accounts_server.js b/packages/accounts-base/accounts_server.js
index eca4c3e5a8..1dfb05d6a7 100644
--- a/packages/accounts-base/accounts_server.js
+++ b/packages/accounts-base/accounts_server.js
@@ -77,9 +77,9 @@ export class AccountsServer extends AccountsCommon {
     // user expects. The way to make this work in a publish is to do
     // Meteor.find(this.userId).observe and recompute when the user
     // record changes.
-    var currentInvocation = DDP._CurrentInvocation.get();
+    const currentInvocation = DDP._CurrentInvocation.get() || DDP._CurrentPublicationInvocation.get();
     if (!currentInvocation)
-      throw new Error("Meteor.userId can only be invoked in method calls. Use this.userId in publish functions.");
+      throw new Error("Meteor.userId can only be invoked in method calls or publications.");
     return currentInvocation.userId;
   }