diff --git a/lib/guardian/topic_guardian.rb b/lib/guardian/topic_guardian.rb
index 05fb6ad041d..0846a9feb45 100644
--- a/lib/guardian/topic_guardian.rb
+++ b/lib/guardian/topic_guardian.rb
@@ -277,6 +277,10 @@ module TopicGuardian
       )
   end
 
+  def can_see_unlisted_topics?
+    is_staff? || @user.has_trust_level?(TrustLevel[4])
+  end
+
   def can_get_access_to_topic?(topic)
     topic&.access_topic_via_group.present? && authenticated?
   end
diff --git a/lib/topic_query.rb b/lib/topic_query.rb
index cd3ce275080..37c3120f491 100644
--- a/lib/topic_query.rb
+++ b/lib/topic_query.rb
@@ -642,9 +642,13 @@ class TopicQuery
     options.reverse_merge!(@options)
     options.reverse_merge!(per_page: per_page_setting) unless options[:limit] == false
 
-    # Whether to return visible topics
-    options[:visible] = true if @user.nil? || @user.regular?
-    options[:visible] = false if @user && @user.id == options[:filtered_to_user]
+    # Whether to include unlisted (visible = false) topics
+    viewing_own_topics = @user && @user.id == options[:filtered_to_user]
+
+    if options[:visible].nil?
+      options[:visible] = true if @user.nil? || @user.regular?
+      options[:visible] = false if @guardian.can_see_unlisted_topics? || viewing_own_topics
+    end
 
     # Start with a list of all topics
     result = Topic.unscoped.includes(:category)
diff --git a/spec/fabricators/user_fabricator.rb b/spec/fabricators/user_fabricator.rb
index 1a0fcca19a6..ffbc5a9f4d3 100644
--- a/spec/fabricators/user_fabricator.rb
+++ b/spec/fabricators/user_fabricator.rb
@@ -100,6 +100,8 @@ Fabricator(:trust_level_0, from: :user) { trust_level TrustLevel[0] }
 
 Fabricator(:trust_level_1, from: :user) { trust_level TrustLevel[1] }
 
+Fabricator(:trust_level_3, from: :user) { trust_level TrustLevel[3] }
+
 Fabricator(:trust_level_4, from: :user) do
   name "Leader McElderson"
   username { sequence(:username) { |i| "tl4#{i}" } }
diff --git a/spec/lib/guardian/topic_guardian_spec.rb b/spec/lib/guardian/topic_guardian_spec.rb
index 94ff370848f..fc7678efe5b 100644
--- a/spec/lib/guardian/topic_guardian_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/guardian/topic_guardian_spec.rb
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@
 RSpec.describe TopicGuardian do
   fab!(:user) { Fabricate(:user) }
   fab!(:admin) { Fabricate(:admin) }
-  fab!(:tl3_user) { Fabricate(:leader) }
+  fab!(:tl3_user) { Fabricate(:trust_level_3) }
+  fab!(:tl4_user) { Fabricate(:trust_level_4) }
   fab!(:moderator) { Fabricate(:moderator) }
   fab!(:category) { Fabricate(:category) }
   fab!(:group) { Fabricate(:group) }
@@ -121,7 +122,6 @@ RSpec.describe TopicGuardian do
 
   describe "#can_review_topic?" do
     it "returns false for TL4 users" do
-      tl4_user = Fabricate(:user, trust_level: TrustLevel[4])
       topic = Fabricate(:topic)
 
       expect(Guardian.new(tl4_user).can_review_topic?(topic)).to eq(false)
@@ -134,8 +134,6 @@ RSpec.describe TopicGuardian do
     end
 
     it "returns true for TL4 users" do
-      tl4_user = Fabricate(:user, trust_level: TrustLevel[4])
-
       expect(Guardian.new(tl4_user).can_create_unlisted_topic?(topic)).to eq(true)
     end
 
@@ -144,6 +142,20 @@ RSpec.describe TopicGuardian do
     end
   end
 
+  describe "#can_see_unlisted_topics?" do
+    it "is allowed for staff users" do
+      expect(Guardian.new(moderator).can_see_unlisted_topics?).to eq(true)
+    end
+
+    it "is allowed for TL4 users" do
+      expect(Guardian.new(tl4_user).can_see_unlisted_topics?).to eq(true)
+    end
+
+    it "is not allowed for lower level users" do
+      expect(Guardian.new(tl3_user).can_see_unlisted_topics?).to eq(false)
+    end
+  end
+
   # The test cases here are intentionally kept brief because majority of the cases are already handled by
   # `TopicGuardianCanSeeConsistencyCheck` which we run to ensure that the implementation between `TopicGuardian#can_see_topic_ids`
   # and `TopicGuardian#can_see_topic?` is consistent.
diff --git a/spec/lib/topic_query_spec.rb b/spec/lib/topic_query_spec.rb
index ffd62eaa1d0..8ba558a353e 100644
--- a/spec/lib/topic_query_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/topic_query_spec.rb
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ RSpec.describe TopicQuery do
   fab!(:creator) { Fabricate(:user) }
   let(:topic_query) { TopicQuery.new(user) }
 
+  fab!(:tl4_user) { Fabricate(:trust_level_4) }
   fab!(:moderator) { Fabricate(:moderator) }
   fab!(:admin) { Fabricate(:admin) }
 
@@ -795,8 +796,11 @@ RSpec.describe TopicQuery do
         # includes the invisible topic if you're a moderator
         expect(TopicQuery.new(moderator).list_latest.topics.include?(invisible_topic)).to eq(true)
 
-        # includes the invisible topic if you're an admin" do
+        # includes the invisible topic if you're an admin
         expect(TopicQuery.new(admin).list_latest.topics.include?(invisible_topic)).to eq(true)
+
+        # includes the invisible topic if you're a TL4 user
+        expect(TopicQuery.new(tl4_user).list_latest.topics.include?(invisible_topic)).to eq(true)
       end
 
       context "with sort_order" do