diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index ebf28276c..2034c8b5f 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -10,8 +10,9 @@
   To add custom emojis, edit the `emojis.json` file.
 - Refactor some presence and status handling code from `converse-core` into `@converse/headless/converse-status`.
 - New API [\_converse.api.headlines](https://conversejs.org/docs/html/api/-_converse.api.headlines.html#.get)
-- New config option [muc_mention_autocomplete_filter](https://conversejs.org/docs/html/configuration.html#muc_mention_autocomplete_filter)
-- New config option [muc_mention_autocomplete_show_avatar](https://conversejs.org/docs/html/configuration.html#muc_mention_autocomplete_show_avatar)
+- New config option [muc-mention-autocomplete-filter](https://conversejs.org/docs/html/configuration.html#muc-mention-autocomplete-filter)
+- New config option [muc-mention-autocomplete-show-avatar](https://conversejs.org/docs/html/configuration.html#muc-mention-autocomplete-show-avatar)
+- New config option [allow_message_retraction](https://conversejs.org/docs/html/configuration.html#allow-message-retraction)
 
 - #129: Add support for XEP-0156: Disovering Alternative XMPP Connection Methods. Only XML is supported for now.
 - #1105: Preliminary support for storing persistent data in IndexedDB instead of localStorage
diff --git a/docs/source/configuration.rst b/docs/source/configuration.rst
index 88c842605..f7c656746 100644
--- a/docs/source/configuration.rst
+++ b/docs/source/configuration.rst
@@ -149,6 +149,32 @@ allow_logout
 
 Determines whether the user is allowed to log out. If set to ``false``, there will be no logout button.
 
+
+.. _`allow_message_corrections`:
+
+allow_message_corrections
+-------------------------
+
+* Default:  ``'all'``
+* Possible values: ``'all'``, ``'last'``
+
+Configures the last message correction (LMC) feature of Converse. By default you can edit all of your own
+messages. Setting this to ``'last'`` will limit this feature to the message sent most recently as suggested by
+`XEP-0308: Last Message Correction <https://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0308.html>`_.
+Setting it to anything else (including ``false``) will disable the ability to correct sent messages.
+
+
+allow_message_retraction
+------------------------
+
+* Default:  ``'all'``
+* Possible values: ``'all'``, ``'own'``, ``'moderator'``
+
+Determines who is allowed to retract messages. If set to ``'all'``, then normal
+users may retract their own messages and ``'moderators'`` may retract the messages of
+other users.
+
+
 allow_muc
 ---------
 
@@ -858,18 +884,6 @@ keepalive
 
 Determines whether Converse will attempt to keep you logged in across page loads.
 
-.. _`allow_message_corrections`:
-
-allow_message_corrections
--------------------------
-
-* Default:  ``'all'``
-
-Configures the last message correction (LMC) feature of Converse. By default you can edit all of your own
-messages. Setting this to ``'last'`` will limit this feature to the message sent most recently as suggested by
-`XEP-0308: Last Message Correction <https://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0308.html>`_.
-Setting it to anything else (including ``false``) will disable the ability to correct sent messages.
-
 .. _`locales`:
 
 locales
diff --git a/src/converse-message-view.js b/src/converse-message-view.js
index 0cf74b722..f85d8c9f0 100644
--- a/src/converse-message-view.js
+++ b/src/converse-message-view.js
@@ -68,7 +68,8 @@ converse.plugins.add('converse-message-view', {
 
 
         _converse.api.settings.update({
-            'show_images_inline': true
+            'show_images_inline': true,
+            'allow_message_retraction': 'all'
         });
 
         _converse.MessageVersionsModal = _converse.BootstrapModal.extend({
@@ -245,7 +246,12 @@ converse.plugins.add('converse-message-view', {
                 const is_groupchat = this.model.get('type') === 'groupchat';
                 const is_own_message = this.model.get('sender') === 'me';
                 const chatbox = this.model.collection.chatbox;
-                const retractable= !is_retracted && (is_groupchat? await chatbox.canRetractMessages() : is_own_message);
+                const may_retract_own_message = is_own_message && ['all', 'own'].includes(_converse.allow_message_retraction);
+                const may_moderate_message = is_groupchat &&
+                    ['all', 'moderator'].includes(_converse.allow_message_retraction) &&
+                    await chatbox.canRetractMessages();
+
+                const retractable= !is_retracted && (may_moderate_message || may_retract_own_message);
                 const msg = u.stringToElement(tpl_message(
                     Object.assign(
                         this.model.toJSON(), {