diff --git a/app/services/user_destroyer.rb b/app/services/user_destroyer.rb
index fee04664395..cc70cc3d911 100644
--- a/app/services/user_destroyer.rb
+++ b/app/services/user_destroyer.rb
@@ -35,32 +35,9 @@ class UserDestroyer
       category_topic_ids = Category.where("topic_id IS NOT NULL").pluck(:topic_id)
 
       if opts[:delete_posts]
-        user.posts.each do |post|
-
-          # agree with flags
-          if opts[:delete_as_spammer] && reviewable = post.reviewable_flag
-            reviewable.perform(@actor, :agree_and_keep)
-          end
-
-          # block all external urls
-          if opts[:block_urls]
-            post.topic_links.each do |link|
-              next if link.internal
-              next if Oneboxer.engine(link.url) != Onebox::Engine::AllowlistedGenericOnebox
-              ScreenedUrl.watch(link.url, link.domain, ip_address: user.ip_address)&.record_match!
-            end
-          end
-
-          if post.is_first_post? && category_topic_ids.include?(post.topic_id)
-            post.update!(user: Discourse.system_user)
-          else
-            PostDestroyer.new(@actor.staff? ? @actor : Discourse.system_user, post).destroy
-          end
-
-          if post.topic && post.is_first_post?
-            Topic.unscoped.where(id: post.topic_id).update_all(user_id: nil)
-          end
-        end
+        agree_with_flags(user) if opts[:delete_as_spammer]
+        block_external_urls(user) if opts[:block_urls]
+        delete_posts(user, category_topic_ids, opts)
       end
 
       user.post_actions.each do |post_action|
@@ -131,6 +108,33 @@ class UserDestroyer
 
   protected
 
+  def block_external_urls(user)
+    TopicLink.where(user: user, internal: false).find_each do |link|
+      next if Oneboxer.engine(link.url) != Onebox::Engine::AllowlistedGenericOnebox
+      ScreenedUrl.watch(link.url, link.domain, ip_address: user.ip_address)&.record_match!
+    end
+  end
+
+  def agree_with_flags(user)
+    ReviewableFlaggedPost.where(target_created_by: user).find_each do |reviewable|
+      reviewable.perform(@actor, :agree_and_keep)
+    end
+  end
+
+  def delete_posts(user, category_topic_ids, opts)
+    user.posts.find_each do |post|
+      if post.is_first_post? && category_topic_ids.include?(post.topic_id)
+        post.update!(user: Discourse.system_user)
+      else
+        PostDestroyer.new(@actor.staff? ? @actor : Discourse.system_user, post).destroy
+      end
+
+      if post.topic && post.is_first_post?
+        Topic.unscoped.where(id: post.topic_id).update_all(user_id: nil)
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
   def prepare_for_destroy(user)
     PostAction.where(user_id: user.id).delete_all
     UserAction.where('user_id = :user_id OR target_user_id = :user_id OR acting_user_id = :user_id', user_id: user.id).delete_all
diff --git a/lib/post_destroyer.rb b/lib/post_destroyer.rb
index c85fcbca2f5..5f8d793add8 100644
--- a/lib/post_destroyer.rb
+++ b/lib/post_destroyer.rb
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ class PostDestroyer
   end
 
   def permanent?
-    @opts[:permanent] && @user == @post.user && @post.topic.private_message?
+    @opts[:force_destroy] || (@opts[:permanent] && @user == @post.user && @post.topic.private_message?)
   end
 
   # When a user 'deletes' their own post. We just change the text.
@@ -247,9 +247,10 @@ class PostDestroyer
   end
 
   def make_previous_post_the_last_one
-    last_post = Post
+    last_post = Post.where("topic_id = ? and id <> ?", @post.topic_id, @post.id)
       .select(:created_at, :user_id, :post_number)
       .where("topic_id = ? and id <> ?", @post.topic_id, @post.id)
+      .where.not(user_id: nil)
       .order('created_at desc')
       .limit(1)
       .first
diff --git a/spec/components/post_destroyer_spec.rb b/spec/components/post_destroyer_spec.rb
index 6ec8622ed3f..88f14b07470 100644
--- a/spec/components/post_destroyer_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/components/post_destroyer_spec.rb
@@ -967,6 +967,7 @@ describe PostDestroyer do
     fab!(:private_post) { Fabricate(:private_message_post, topic: private_message_topic) }
     fab!(:post_action) { Fabricate(:post_action, post: private_post) }
     fab!(:reply) { Fabricate(:private_message_post, topic: private_message_topic) }
+
     it "destroys the post and topic if deleting first post" do
       PostDestroyer.new(reply.user, reply, permanent: true).destroy
       expect { reply.reload }.to raise_error(ActiveRecord::RecordNotFound)
@@ -985,5 +986,14 @@ describe PostDestroyer do
       PostDestroyer.new(post.user, post, permanent: true).destroy
       expect(post.user_deleted).to be true
     end
+
+    it 'always destroy the post when the force_destroy option is passed' do
+      PostDestroyer.new(moderator, reply, force_destroy: true).destroy
+      expect { reply.reload }.to raise_error(ActiveRecord::RecordNotFound)
+
+      regular_post = Fabricate(:post)
+      PostDestroyer.new(moderator, regular_post, force_destroy: true).destroy
+      expect { regular_post.reload }.to raise_error(ActiveRecord::RecordNotFound)
+    end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/services/user_destroyer_spec.rb b/spec/services/user_destroyer_spec.rb
index c54ff7a0948..ea23dbf0b96 100644
--- a/spec/services/user_destroyer_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/services/user_destroyer_spec.rb
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ describe UserDestroyer do
         before do
           @post = Fabricate(:post_with_external_links, user: user)
           TopicLink.extract_from(@post)
-          TopicLink.any_instance.stubs(:internal).returns(true)
+          TopicLink.where(user: user).update_all(internal: true)
         end
 
         it "doesn't add ScreenedUrl records" do