diff --git a/bookwyrm/migrations/0090_auto_20210908_2346.py b/bookwyrm/migrations/0090_auto_20210908_2346.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7c870857
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bookwyrm/migrations/0090_auto_20210908_2346.py
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+# Generated by Django 3.2.4 on 2021-09-08 23:46
+
+from django.db import migrations, models
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ("bookwyrm", "0089_user_show_suggested_users"),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AlterField(
+            model_name="connector",
+            name="deactivation_reason",
+            field=models.CharField(
+                blank=True,
+                choices=[
+                    ("pending", "Pending"),
+                    ("self_deletion", "Self Deletion"),
+                    ("moderator_suspension", "Moderator Suspension"),
+                    ("moderator_deletion", "Moderator Deletion"),
+                    ("domain_block", "Domain Block"),
+                ],
+                max_length=255,
+                null=True,
+            ),
+        ),
+        migrations.AlterField(
+            model_name="user",
+            name="deactivation_reason",
+            field=models.CharField(
+                blank=True,
+                choices=[
+                    ("pending", "Pending"),
+                    ("self_deletion", "Self Deletion"),
+                    ("moderator_suspension", "Moderator Suspension"),
+                    ("moderator_deletion", "Moderator Deletion"),
+                    ("domain_block", "Domain Block"),
+                ],
+                max_length=255,
+                null=True,
+            ),
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/base_model.py b/bookwyrm/models/base_model.py
index 5b55ea50..f19ebfd9 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/base_model.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/base_model.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ DeactivationReason = models.TextChoices(
     [
         "pending",
         "self_deletion",
+        "moderator_suspension",
         "moderator_deletion",
         "domain_block",
     ],
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/user_admin/delete_user_form.html b/bookwyrm/templates/user_admin/delete_user_form.html
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0987bdf1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/user_admin/delete_user_form.html
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+{% extends "components/inline_form.html" %}
+{% load i18n %}
+
+{% block header %}
+{% trans "Permanently delete user" %}
+{% endblock %}
+
+{% block form %}
+<form name="delete-user" action="{% url 'settings-delete-user' user.id %}" method="post">
+    {% csrf_token %}
+    <div class="field">
+        <label class="label" for="id_password">{% trans "Confirm password:" %}</label>
+        <input class="input {% if form.password.errors %}is-danger{% endif %}" type="password" name="password" id="id_password" required>
+        {% for error in form.password.errors %}
+        <p class="help is-danger">{{ error | escape }}</p>
+        {% endfor %}
+    </div>
+    <button type="submit" class="button is-danger">{% trans "Delete Account" %}</button>
+</form>
+{% endblock %}
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/user_admin/user_moderation_actions.html b/bookwyrm/templates/user_admin/user_moderation_actions.html
index e4460a68..12b70d3c 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/user_admin/user_moderation_actions.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/user_admin/user_moderation_actions.html
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {% load i18n %}
 <div class="block content">
-    {% if not user.is_active and user.deactivation_reason == "self_deletion" %}
+    {% if not user.is_active and user.deactivation_reason == "self_deletion" or user.deactivation_reason == "moderator_deletion" %}
     <div class="notification is-danger">
         {% trans "Permanently deleted" %}
     </div>
@@ -8,19 +8,38 @@
     <h3>{% trans "Actions" %}</h3>
 
     <div class="is-flex">
+        {% if user.is_active %}
         <p class="mr-1">
             <a class="button" href="{% url 'direct-messages-user' user.username %}">{% trans "Send direct message" %}</a>
         </p>
-        <form name="suspend" method="post" action="{% url 'settings-report-suspend' user.id  %}">
+        {% endif %}
+
+        {% if user.is_active or user.deactivation_reason == "pending" %}
+        <form name="suspend" method="post" action="{% url 'settings-report-suspend' user.id  %}" class="mr-1">
             {% csrf_token %}
-            {% if user.is_active %}
             <button type="submit" class="button is-danger is-light">{% trans "Suspend user" %}</button>
-            {% else %}
-            <button class="button">{% trans "Un-suspend user" %}</button>
-            {% endif %}
         </form>
+        {% else %}
+        <form name="unsuspend" method="post" action="{% url 'settings-report-unsuspend' user.id  %}" class="mr-1">
+            {% csrf_token %}
+            <button class="button">{% trans "Un-suspend user" %}</button>
+        </form>
+        {% endif %}
+
+        {% if user.local %}
+        <div>
+            {% trans "Permanently delete user" as button_text %}
+            {% include "snippets/toggle/open_button.html" with controls_text="delete_user" text=button_text class="is-danger is-light" %}
+        </div>
+        {% endif %}
     </div>
 
+    {% if user.local %}
+    <div>
+        {% include "user_admin/delete_user_form.html" with controls_text="delete_user" class="mt-2 mb-2" %}
+    </div>
+    {% endif %}
+
     {% if user.local %}
     <div>
         <form name="permission" method="post" action="{% url 'settings-user' user.id %}">
diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_reports.py b/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_reports.py
index 1b0b6008..9fbeae04 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_reports.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_reports.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 """ test for app action functionality """
+import json
 from unittest.mock import patch
 from django.template.response import TemplateResponse
 from django.test import TestCase
@@ -134,6 +135,26 @@ class ReportViews(TestCase):
         self.assertFalse(self.rat.is_active)
 
         # re-activate
-        views.suspend_user(request, self.rat.id)
+        views.unsuspend_user(request, self.rat.id)
         self.rat.refresh_from_db()
         self.assertTrue(self.rat.is_active)
+
+    @patch("bookwyrm.suggested_users.rerank_suggestions_task.delay")
+    @patch("bookwyrm.suggested_users.remove_user_task.delay")
+    def test_delete_user(self, *_):
+        """toggle whether a user is able to log in"""
+        self.assertTrue(self.rat.is_active)
+        request = self.factory.post("", {"password": "password"})
+        request.user = self.local_user
+        request.user.is_superuser = True
+
+        # de-activate
+        with patch("bookwyrm.models.activitypub_mixin.broadcast_task.delay") as mock:
+            views.moderator_delete_user(request, self.rat.id)
+        self.assertEqual(mock.call_count, 1)
+        activity = json.loads(mock.call_args[0][1])
+        self.assertEqual(activity["type"], "Delete")
+
+        self.rat.refresh_from_db()
+        self.assertFalse(self.rat.is_active)
+        self.assertEqual(self.rat.deactivation_reason, "moderator_deletion")
diff --git a/bookwyrm/urls.py b/bookwyrm/urls.py
index f80ef791..32ef4af0 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/urls.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/urls.py
@@ -163,6 +163,16 @@ urlpatterns = [
         views.suspend_user,
         name="settings-report-suspend",
     ),
+    re_path(
+        r"^settings/reports/(?P<user_id>\d+)/unsuspend/?$",
+        views.unsuspend_user,
+        name="settings-report-unsuspend",
+    ),
+    re_path(
+        r"^settings/reports/(?P<user_id>\d+)/delete/?$",
+        views.moderator_delete_user,
+        name="settings-delete-user",
+    ),
     re_path(
         r"^settings/reports/(?P<report_id>\d+)/resolve/?$",
         views.resolve_report,
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/__init__.py b/bookwyrm/views/__init__.py
index ca10189d..3f56e48f 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/__init__.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/__init__.py
@@ -34,7 +34,15 @@ from .reading import edit_readthrough, create_readthrough
 from .reading import delete_readthrough, delete_progressupdate
 from .reading import ReadingStatus
 from .register import Register, ConfirmEmail, ConfirmEmailCode, resend_link
-from .reports import Report, Reports, make_report, resolve_report, suspend_user
+from .reports import (
+    Report,
+    Reports,
+    make_report,
+    resolve_report,
+    suspend_user,
+    unsuspend_user,
+    moderator_delete_user,
+)
 from .rss_feed import RssFeed
 from .password import PasswordResetRequest, PasswordReset, ChangePassword
 from .search import Search
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/edit_user.py b/bookwyrm/views/edit_user.py
index c74b00c9..b97f2737 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/edit_user.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/edit_user.py
@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@ class DeleteUser(View):
     def post(self, request):
         """les get fancy with images"""
         form = forms.DeleteUserForm(request.POST, instance=request.user)
-        form.is_valid()
         # idk why but I couldn't get check_password to work on request.user
         user = models.User.objects.get(id=request.user.id)
         if form.is_valid() and user.check_password(form.cleaned_data["password"]):
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/reports.py b/bookwyrm/views/reports.py
index 46c23884..72b7f4db 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/reports.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/reports.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 """ moderation via flagged posts and users """
 from django.contrib.auth.decorators import login_required, permission_required
+from django.core.exceptions import PermissionDenied
 from django.shortcuts import get_object_or_404, redirect
 from django.template.response import TemplateResponse
 from django.utils.decorators import method_decorator
@@ -77,12 +78,50 @@ class Report(View):
 def suspend_user(_, user_id):
     """mark an account as inactive"""
     user = get_object_or_404(models.User, id=user_id)
-    user.is_active = not user.is_active
+    user.is_active = False
+    user.deactivation_reason = "moderator_suspension"
     # this isn't a full deletion, so we don't want to tell the world
     user.save(broadcast=False)
     return redirect("settings-user", user.id)
 
 
+@login_required
+@permission_required("bookwyrm_moderate_user")
+def unsuspend_user(_, user_id):
+    """mark an account as inactive"""
+    user = get_object_or_404(models.User, id=user_id)
+    user.is_active = True
+    user.deactivation_reason = None
+    # this isn't a full deletion, so we don't want to tell the world
+    user.save(broadcast=False)
+    return redirect("settings-user", user.id)
+
+
+@login_required
+@permission_required("bookwyrm_moderate_user")
+def moderator_delete_user(request, user_id):
+    """permanently delete a user"""
+    user = get_object_or_404(models.User, id=user_id)
+
+    # we can't delete users on other instances
+    if not user.local:
+        raise PermissionDenied
+
+    form = forms.DeleteUserForm(request.POST, instance=user)
+
+    moderator = models.User.objects.get(id=request.user.id)
+    # check the moderator's password
+    if form.is_valid() and moderator.check_password(form.cleaned_data["password"]):
+        user.deactivation_reason = "moderator_deletion"
+        user.delete()
+        return redirect("settings-user", user.id)
+
+    form.errors["password"] = ["Invalid password"]
+
+    data = {"user": user, "group_form": forms.UserGroupForm(), "form": form}
+    return TemplateResponse(request, "user_admin/user.html", data)
+
+
 @login_required
 @permission_required("bookwyrm_moderate_post")
 def resolve_report(_, report_id):