diff --git a/daemon.py b/daemon.py
index 0ad2ed17b..e0be9287b 100644
--- a/daemon.py
+++ b/daemon.py
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ from person import isSuspended
 from person import suspendAccount
 from person import unsuspendAccount
 from person import removeAccount
+from person import canRemovePost
 from posts import outboxMessageCreateWrap
 from posts import savePostToBox
 from posts import sendToFollowers
@@ -2147,16 +2148,22 @@ class PubServer(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
                                           self.server.domain, \
                                           self.server.port)
                         else:
+                            # remove a post or thread                            
                             postFilename= \
                                 locatePost(self.server.baseDir, \
                                            nickname,self.server.domain, \
                                            moderationText)
-                            if postFilename:                            
-                                deletePost(self.server.baseDir, \
-                                           self.server.httpPrefix, \
-                                           nickname,self.server.omain, \
-                                           postFilename, \
-                                           self.server.debug)
+                            if postFilename:
+                                if canRemovePost(self.server.baseDir, \
+                                                 nickname, \
+                                                 self.server.domain, \
+                                                 self.server.port, \
+                                                 moderationText):                                
+                                    deletePost(self.server.baseDir, \
+                                               self.server.httpPrefix, \
+                                               nickname,self.server.omain, \
+                                               postFilename, \
+                                               self.server.debug)
             self._redirect_headers(actorStr+'/moderation',cookie)
             self.server.POSTbusy=False
             return
diff --git a/person.py b/person.py
index b8914a0cb..1bf33c944 100644
--- a/person.py
+++ b/person.py
@@ -536,6 +536,32 @@ def suspendAccount(baseDir: str,nickname: str,salts: {}) -> None:
             suspendedFile.close()
             salts[nickname]=createPassword(32)            
 
+def canRemovePost(baseDir: str,nickname: str,domain: str,port: int,postId: str) -> bool:
+    """Returns true if the given post can be removed
+    """
+    if '/statuses/' not in postId:
+        return False
+
+    domainFull=domain
+    if port:
+        if port!=80 and port!=443:
+            domainFull=domain+':'+str(port)
+
+    # is the post by the admin?
+    adminNickname=getConfigParam(baseDir,'admin')
+    if domainFull+'/users/'+adminNickname+'/' in postId:
+        return False
+
+    # is the post by a moderator?
+    moderatorsFile=baseDir+'/accounts/moderators.txt'
+    if os.path.isfile(moderatorsFile):
+        with open(moderatorsFile, "r") as f:
+            lines = f.readlines()
+        for moderator in lines:
+            if domainFull+'/users/'+moderator.strip('\n')+'/' in postId:
+                return False
+    return True
+
 def removeTagsForNickname(baseDir: str,nickname: str,domain: str,port: int) -> None:
     """Removes tags for a nickname
     """