diff --git a/app/views/layouts/nav/sidebar/_project_menus.html.haml b/app/views/layouts/nav/sidebar/_project_menus.html.haml
deleted file mode 100644
index 719f3a3de3368208b725b1a6b41d13f1d2478777..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/app/views/layouts/nav/sidebar/_project_menus.html.haml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,34 +0,0 @@
--# Shortcut to Project > Activity
-%li.hidden
-  = link_to activity_project_path(@project), title: _('Activity'), class: 'shortcuts-project-activity' do
-    %span
-      = _('Activity')
-
--# Shortcut to Repository > Graph (formerly, Network)
-- if project_nav_tab? :network
-  %li.hidden
-    = link_to project_network_path(@project, current_ref), title: _('Network'), class: 'shortcuts-network' do
-      = _('Graph')
-
--# Shortcut to Issues > New Issue
-- if project_nav_tab?(:issues)
-  %li.hidden
-    = link_to new_project_issue_path(@project), class: 'shortcuts-new-issue' do
-      = _('Create a new issue')
-
--# Shortcut to Pipelines > Jobs
-- if project_nav_tab? :builds
-  %li.hidden
-    = link_to project_jobs_path(@project), title: _('Jobs'), class: 'shortcuts-builds' do
-      = _('Jobs')
-
--# Shortcut to commits page
-- if project_nav_tab? :commits
-  %li.hidden
-    = link_to project_commits_path(@project), title: _('Commits'), class: 'shortcuts-commits' do
-      = _('Commits')
-
--# Shortcut to issue boards
-- if project_nav_tab?(:issues)
-  %li.hidden
-    = link_to _('Issue Boards'), project_boards_path(@project), title: _('Issue Boards'), class: 'shortcuts-issue-boards'
diff --git a/app/views/shared/nav/_sidebar.html.haml b/app/views/shared/nav/_sidebar.html.haml
index 1c06fc9eebf868d1cecde21fc2c649641503f1f6..8e388f2826d5b4b6b0dcd63297002790571ea8b7 100644
--- a/app/views/shared/nav/_sidebar.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/shared/nav/_sidebar.html.haml
@@ -11,4 +11,5 @@
       - if sidebar.render_raw_menus_partial
         = render sidebar.render_raw_menus_partial
 
+      = render partial: 'shared/nav/sidebar_hidden_menu_item', collection: sidebar.hidden_menu&.items
     = render 'shared/sidebar_toggle_button'
diff --git a/app/views/shared/nav/_sidebar_hidden_menu_item.html.haml b/app/views/shared/nav/_sidebar_hidden_menu_item.html.haml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..953f7a8ae60c49c9f25ae09494afa65718e9e9ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/views/shared/nav/_sidebar_hidden_menu_item.html.haml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+%li.hidden
+  = link_to sidebar_hidden_menu_item.link, **sidebar_hidden_menu_item.container_html_options do
+    = sidebar_hidden_menu_item.title
diff --git a/lib/sidebars/projects/menus/hidden_menu.rb b/lib/sidebars/projects/menus/hidden_menu.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..19c77c67e1aa9a28697296e9406500844761c0ce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/sidebars/projects/menus/hidden_menu.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+module Sidebars
+  module Projects
+    module Menus
+      class HiddenMenu < ::Sidebars::Menu
+        override :configure_menu_items
+        def configure_menu_items
+          add_item(activity_menu_item)
+          add_item(graph_menu_item)
+          add_item(new_issue_menu_item)
+          add_item(jobs_menu_item)
+          add_item(commits_menu_item)
+          add_item(issue_boards_menu_item)
+
+          true
+        end
+
+        private
+
+        def activity_menu_item
+          ::Sidebars::MenuItem.new(
+            title: _('Activity'),
+            link: activity_project_path(context.project),
+            active_routes: {},
+            container_html_options: { class: 'shortcuts-project-activity' },
+            item_id: :activity
+          )
+        end
+
+        def graph_menu_item
+          return unless can?(context.current_user, :download_code, context.project)
+          return if context.project.empty_repo?
+
+          ::Sidebars::MenuItem.new(
+            title: _('Graph'),
+            link: project_network_path(context.project, context.current_ref),
+            active_routes: {},
+            container_html_options: { class: 'shortcuts-network' },
+            item_id: :graph
+          )
+        end
+
+        def new_issue_menu_item
+          return unless can?(context.current_user, :read_issue, context.project)
+
+          ::Sidebars::MenuItem.new(
+            title: _('Create a new issue'),
+            link: new_project_issue_path(context.project),
+            active_routes: {},
+            container_html_options: { class: 'shortcuts-new-issue' },
+            item_id: :new_issue
+          )
+        end
+
+        def jobs_menu_item
+          return unless can?(context.current_user, :read_build, context.project)
+
+          ::Sidebars::MenuItem.new(
+            title: _('Jobs'),
+            link: project_jobs_path(context.project),
+            active_routes: {},
+            container_html_options: { class: 'shortcuts-builds' },
+            item_id: :jobs
+          )
+        end
+
+        def commits_menu_item
+          return unless can?(context.current_user, :download_code, context.project)
+          return if context.project.empty_repo?
+
+          ::Sidebars::MenuItem.new(
+            title: _('Commits'),
+            link: project_commits_path(context.project),
+            active_routes: {},
+            container_html_options: { class: 'shortcuts-commits' },
+            item_id: :commits
+          )
+        end
+
+        def issue_boards_menu_item
+          return unless can?(context.current_user, :read_issue, context.project)
+
+          ::Sidebars::MenuItem.new(
+            title: _('Issue Boards'),
+            link: project_boards_path(context.project),
+            active_routes: {},
+            container_html_options: { class: 'shortcuts-issue-boards' },
+            item_id: :issue_boards
+          )
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/sidebars/projects/panel.rb b/lib/sidebars/projects/panel.rb
index dbf2977df013b1904c9b9b7c88d89a75ec300989..7a35c224cbfde71d7b248ed4e23ebf904fc64201 100644
--- a/lib/sidebars/projects/panel.rb
+++ b/lib/sidebars/projects/panel.rb
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ class Panel < ::Sidebars::Panel
       override :configure_menus
       def configure_menus
         set_scope_menu(Sidebars::Projects::Menus::ScopeMenu.new(context))
+        set_hidden_menu(Sidebars::Projects::Menus::HiddenMenu.new(context))
 
         add_menu(Sidebars::Projects::Menus::ProjectInformationMenu.new(context))
         add_menu(Sidebars::Projects::Menus::LearnGitlabMenu.new(context))
@@ -27,11 +28,6 @@ def configure_menus
         add_menu(Sidebars::Projects::Menus::SettingsMenu.new(context))
       end
 
-      override :render_raw_menus_partial
-      def render_raw_menus_partial
-        'layouts/nav/sidebar/project_menus'
-      end
-
       override :aria_label
       def aria_label
         _('Project navigation')
diff --git a/spec/lib/sidebars/projects/menus/hidden_menu_spec.rb b/spec/lib/sidebars/projects/menus/hidden_menu_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..f7cb0adbb66d058b583e97a29f21c4959c4c3386
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/lib/sidebars/projects/menus/hidden_menu_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+require 'spec_helper'
+
+RSpec.describe Sidebars::Projects::Menus::HiddenMenu do
+  let_it_be(:project) { create(:project, :repository) }
+
+  let(:user) { project.owner }
+  let(:context) { Sidebars::Projects::Context.new(current_user: user, container: project, current_ref: project.repository.root_ref) }
+
+  describe '#render?' do
+    subject { described_class.new(context) }
+
+    context 'when menu does not have any menu items' do
+      it 'returns false' do
+        allow(subject).to receive(:has_items?).and_return(false)
+
+        expect(subject.render?).to be false
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'when menu has menu items' do
+      it 'returns true' do
+        expect(subject.render?).to be true
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe 'Menu items' do
+    subject { described_class.new(context).items.index { |e| e.item_id == item_id } }
+
+    shared_examples 'access rights checks' do
+      specify { is_expected.not_to be_nil }
+
+      describe 'when the user does not have access' do
+        let(:user) { nil }
+
+        specify { is_expected.to be_nil }
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe 'Activity' do
+      let(:item_id) { :activity }
+
+      context 'when user has access to the project' do
+        specify { is_expected.not_to be_nil }
+
+        describe 'when the user is not present' do
+          let(:user) { nil }
+
+          specify { is_expected.not_to be_nil }
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe 'Graph' do
+      let(:item_id) { :graph }
+
+      context 'when project repository is empty' do
+        before do
+          allow(project).to receive(:empty_repo?).and_return(true)
+        end
+
+        specify { is_expected.to be_nil }
+      end
+
+      it_behaves_like 'access rights checks'
+    end
+
+    describe 'New Issue' do
+      let(:item_id) { :new_issue }
+
+      it_behaves_like 'access rights checks'
+    end
+
+    describe 'Jobs' do
+      let(:item_id) { :jobs }
+
+      it_behaves_like 'access rights checks'
+    end
+
+    describe 'Commits' do
+      let(:item_id) { :commits }
+
+      context 'when project repository is empty' do
+        before do
+          allow(project).to receive(:empty_repo?).and_return(true)
+        end
+
+        specify { is_expected.to be_nil }
+      end
+
+      it_behaves_like 'access rights checks'
+    end
+
+    describe 'Issue Boards' do
+      let(:item_id) { :issue_boards }
+
+      it_behaves_like 'access rights checks'
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/views/layouts/nav/sidebar/_project.html.haml_spec.rb b/spec/views/layouts/nav/sidebar/_project.html.haml_spec.rb
index 11bb81bcd40e629363456c6ee41c40f272dd121c..fafd5777f93b7e53666abeecb67f5932604c796b 100644
--- a/spec/views/layouts/nav/sidebar/_project.html.haml_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/views/layouts/nav/sidebar/_project.html.haml_spec.rb
@@ -1090,5 +1090,43 @@
     end
   end
 
+  describe 'Hidden menus' do
+    it 'has a link to the Activity page' do
+      render
+
+      expect(rendered).to have_link('Activity', href: activity_project_path(project), class: 'shortcuts-project-activity', visible: false)
+    end
+
+    it 'has a link to the Graph page' do
+      render
+
+      expect(rendered).to have_link('Graph', href: project_network_path(project, current_ref), class: 'shortcuts-network', visible: false)
+    end
+
+    it 'has a link to the New Issue page' do
+      render
+
+      expect(rendered).to have_link('Create a new issue', href: new_project_issue_path(project), class: 'shortcuts-new-issue', visible: false)
+    end
+
+    it 'has a link to the Jobs page' do
+      render
+
+      expect(rendered).to have_link('Jobs', href: project_jobs_path(project), class: 'shortcuts-builds', visible: false)
+    end
+
+    it 'has a link to the Commits page' do
+      render
+
+      expect(rendered).to have_link('Commits', href: project_commits_path(project), class: 'shortcuts-commits', visible: false)
+    end
+
+    it 'has a link to the Issue Boards page' do
+      render
+
+      expect(rendered).to have_link('Issue Boards', href: project_boards_path(project), class: 'shortcuts-issue-boards', visible: false)
+    end
+  end
+
   it_behaves_like 'sidebar includes snowplow attributes', 'render', 'projects_side_navigation', 'projects_side_navigation'
 end