diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/topic_controller.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/topic_controller.js
index 18665c8c88b..7a6f15c0c51 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/topic_controller.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/topic_controller.js
@@ -378,15 +378,7 @@ Discourse.TopicController = Discourse.ObjectController.extend(Discourse.Selected
   },
 
   deletePost: function(post) {
-    // Moderators can delete posts. Regular users can only create a deleted at message.
-    if (Discourse.User.current('staff')) {
-      post.set('deleted_at', new Date());
-    } else {
-      post.set('cooked', Discourse.Markdown.cook(I18n.t("post.deleted_by_author")));
-      post.set('can_delete', false);
-      post.set('version', post.get('version') + 1);
-    }
-    post.destroy();
+    post.destroy(Discourse.User.current());
   },
 
   removeAllowedUser: function(username) {
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/post.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/post.js
index 7b450d1584f..551ad65a18f 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/post.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/post.js
@@ -189,7 +189,21 @@ Discourse.Post = Discourse.Model.extend({
     return Discourse.ajax("/posts/" + (this.get('id')) + "/recover", { type: 'PUT', cache: false });
   },
 
-  destroy: function(complete) {
+  destroy: function(deleted_by) {
+    // Moderators can delete posts. Regular users can only trigger a deleted at message.
+    if (deleted_by.get('staff')) {
+      this.setProperties({
+        deleted_at: new Date(),
+        deleted_by: deleted_by
+      });
+    } else {
+      this.setProperties({
+        cooked: Discourse.Markdown.cook(I18n.t("post.deleted_by_author")),
+        can_delete: false,
+        version: this.get('version') + 1
+      });
+    }
+
     return Discourse.ajax("/posts/" + (this.get('id')), { type: 'DELETE' });
   },
 
diff --git a/test/javascripts/models/post_test.js b/test/javascripts/models/post_test.js
index 746c3b6a266..cf19235f548 100644
--- a/test/javascripts/models/post_test.js
+++ b/test/javascripts/models/post_test.js
@@ -1,5 +1,19 @@
 module("Discourse.Post");
 
+var buildPost = function(args) {
+  return Discourse.Post.create(_.merge({
+    id: 1,
+    can_delete: true,
+    version: 1
+  }, args || {}));
+};
+
+test('defaults', function() {
+  var post = Discourse.Post.create({id: 1});
+  blank(post.get('deleted_at'), "it has no deleted_at by default");
+  blank(post.get('deleted_by'), "there is no deleted_by by default");
+});
+
 test('new_user', function() {
   var post = Discourse.Post.create({trust_level: 0});
   ok(post.get('new_user'), "post is from a new user");
@@ -16,7 +30,6 @@ test('firstPost', function() {
   ok(!post.get('firstPost'), "post is no longer the first post");
 });
 
-
 test('updateFromPost', function() {
   var post = Discourse.Post.create({
     post_number: 1,
@@ -32,13 +45,38 @@ test('updateFromPost', function() {
 });
 
 test('hasHistory', function() {
-
   var post = Discourse.Post.create({id: 1});
   ok(!post.get('hasHistory'), 'posts without versions have no history');
   post.set('version', 1);
   ok(!post.get('hasHistory'), 'posts with one version have no history');
   post.set('version', 2);
   ok(post.get('hasHistory'), 'posts with more than one version have a history');
+});
 
 
-});
\ No newline at end of file
+test('destroy by staff', function() {
+  var user = Discourse.User.create({username: 'staff', staff: true});
+  var post = buildPost({user: user});
+
+  this.stub(Discourse, 'ajax');
+  post.destroy(user);
+
+  present(post.get('deleted_at'), "it has a `deleted_at` field.");
+  equal(post.get('deleted_by'), user, "it has the user in the `deleted_by` field");
+  ok(Discourse.ajax.calledOnce, "it made an AJAX call");
+});
+
+test('destroy by non-staff', function() {
+  var originalCooked = "this is the original cooked value";
+  var user = Discourse.User.create({username: 'evil trout'});
+  var post = buildPost({user: user, cooked: originalCooked});
+
+  this.stub(Discourse, 'ajax');
+  post.destroy(user);
+
+  ok(!post.get('can_delete'), "the post can't be deleted again in this session");
+  ok(post.get('cooked') !== originalCooked, "the cooked content changed");
+  equal(post.get('version'), 2, "the version number increased");
+  ok(Discourse.ajax.calledOnce, "it made an AJAX call");
+});
+