diff --git a/django/contrib/auth/forms.py b/django/contrib/auth/forms.py
index 992a0ff44d..d20c472495 100644
--- a/django/contrib/auth/forms.py
+++ b/django/contrib/auth/forms.py
@@ -54,7 +54,9 @@ class UserChangeForm(forms.ModelForm):
 
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         super(UserChangeForm, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
-        self.fields['user_permissions'].queryset = self.fields['user_permissions'].queryset.select_related('content_type')
+        f = self.fields.get('user_permissions', None)
+        if f is not None:
+            f.queryset = f.queryset.select_related('content_type')
 
 class AuthenticationForm(forms.Form):
     """
diff --git a/django/contrib/auth/tests/forms.py b/django/contrib/auth/tests/forms.py
index 355b9eaf6e..5aa49e09c3 100644
--- a/django/contrib/auth/tests/forms.py
+++ b/django/contrib/auth/tests/forms.py
@@ -199,6 +199,22 @@ class UserChangeFormTest(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(form['username'].errors,
                          [u'This value may contain only letters, numbers and @/./+/-/_ characters.'])
 
+    def test_bug_14242(self):
+        # A regression test, introduce by adding an optimization for the
+        # UserChangeForm.
+
+        class MyUserForm(UserChangeForm):
+            def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+                super(MyUserForm, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+                self.fields['groups'].help_text = 'These groups give users different permissions'
+
+            class Meta(UserChangeForm.Meta):
+                fields = ('groups',)
+
+        # Just check we can create it
+        form = MyUserForm({})
+
+
 class PasswordResetFormTest(TestCase):
 
     fixtures = ['authtestdata.json']