diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/controllers/edit-topic-timer.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/controllers/edit-topic-timer.js
index 50e30cd5b03..d6ebfa9c431 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/controllers/edit-topic-timer.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/controllers/edit-topic-timer.js
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ export default Controller.extend(ModalFunctionality, {
       });
     }
 
-    if (this.currentUser.staff) {
+    if (this.model.details.can_delete) {
       types.push({
         id: DELETE_STATUS_TYPE,
         name: I18n.t("topic.auto_delete.title"),
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ export default Controller.extend(ModalFunctionality, {
       name: I18n.t("topic.auto_bump.title"),
     });
 
-    if (this.currentUser.staff) {
+    if (this.model.details.can_delete) {
       types.push({
         id: DELETE_REPLIES_TYPE,
         name: I18n.t("topic.auto_delete_replies.title"),
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/acceptance/topic-edit-timer-test.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/acceptance/topic-edit-timer-test.js
index 7143b3002e1..728de641e58 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/acceptance/topic-edit-timer-test.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/acceptance/topic-edit-timer-test.js
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ import { click, fillIn, visit } from "@ember/test-helpers";
 import { test } from "qunit";
 import selectKit from "discourse/tests/helpers/select-kit-helper";
 import I18n from "I18n";
+import { cloneJSON } from "discourse-common/lib/object";
+import topicFixtures from "discourse/tests/fixtures/topic";
 
 acceptance("Topic - Edit timer", function (needs) {
   let clock = null;
@@ -28,6 +30,10 @@ acceptance("Topic - Edit timer", function (needs) {
         category_id: null,
       })
     );
+
+    const topicResponse = cloneJSON(topicFixtures["/t/54077.json"]);
+    topicResponse.details.can_delete = false;
+    server.get("/t/54077.json", () => helper.response(topicResponse));
   });
 
   needs.hooks.beforeEach(() => {
@@ -294,7 +300,7 @@ acceptance("Topic - Edit timer", function (needs) {
   test("TL4 can't auto-delete", async function (assert) {
     updateCurrentUser({ moderator: false, admin: false, trust_level: 4 });
 
-    await visit("/t/internationalization-localization");
+    await visit("/t/short-topic-with-two-posts/54077");
     await click(".toggle-admin-menu");
     await click(".admin-topic-timer-update button");
 
@@ -305,6 +311,48 @@ acceptance("Topic - Edit timer", function (needs) {
     assert.ok(!timerType.rowByValue("delete").exists());
   });
 
+  test("Category Moderator can auto-delete replies", async function (assert) {
+    updateCurrentUser({ moderator: false, admin: false, trust_level: 4 });
+
+    await visit("/t/internationalization-localization");
+    await click(".toggle-admin-menu");
+    await click(".admin-topic-timer-update button");
+
+    const timerType = selectKit(".select-kit.timer-type");
+
+    await timerType.expand();
+
+    assert.ok(timerType.rowByValue("delete_replies").exists());
+  });
+
+  test("TL4 can't auto-delete replies", async function (assert) {
+    updateCurrentUser({ moderator: false, admin: false, trust_level: 4 });
+
+    await visit("/t/short-topic-with-two-posts/54077");
+    await click(".toggle-admin-menu");
+    await click(".admin-topic-timer-update button");
+
+    const timerType = selectKit(".select-kit.timer-type");
+
+    await timerType.expand();
+
+    assert.ok(!timerType.rowByValue("delete_replies").exists());
+  });
+
+  test("Category Moderator can auto-delete", async function (assert) {
+    updateCurrentUser({ moderator: false, admin: false, trust_level: 4 });
+
+    await visit("/t/internationalization-localization");
+    await click(".toggle-admin-menu");
+    await click(".admin-topic-timer-update button");
+
+    const timerType = selectKit(".select-kit.timer-type");
+
+    await timerType.expand();
+
+    assert.ok(timerType.rowByValue("delete").exists());
+  });
+
   test("auto delete", async function (assert) {
     updateCurrentUser({ moderator: true });
     const timerType = selectKit(".select-kit.timer-type");
diff --git a/app/controllers/topics_controller.rb b/app/controllers/topics_controller.rb
index 67c844dbe61..d2b3caeb243 100644
--- a/app/controllers/topics_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/topics_controller.rb
@@ -497,6 +497,10 @@ class TopicsController < ApplicationController
     topic = Topic.find_by(id: params[:topic_id])
     guardian.ensure_can_moderate!(topic)
 
+    if TopicTimer.destructive_types.values.include?(status_type)
+      guardian.ensure_can_delete!(topic)
+    end
+
     options = {
       by_user: current_user,
       based_on_last_post: based_on_last_post
diff --git a/app/models/topic_timer.rb b/app/models/topic_timer.rb
index 05f0226fd15..82a00e8dc3c 100644
--- a/app/models/topic_timer.rb
+++ b/app/models/topic_timer.rb
@@ -98,6 +98,10 @@ class TopicTimer < ActiveRecord::Base
     @_private_types ||= types.only(:reminder, :clear_slow_mode)
   end
 
+  def self.destructive_types
+    @_destructive_types ||= types.only(:delete, :delete_replies)
+  end
+
   def public_type?
     !!self.class.public_types[self.status_type]
   end
diff --git a/spec/requests/topics_controller_spec.rb b/spec/requests/topics_controller_spec.rb
index 6f086d212b2..af824cd5d5e 100644
--- a/spec/requests/topics_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/topics_controller_spec.rb
@@ -3999,6 +3999,9 @@ RSpec.describe TopicsController do
     end
 
     context 'when logged in as a TL4 user' do
+      before do
+        SiteSetting.enable_category_group_moderation = true
+      end
       it "raises an error if the user can't see the topic" do
         user.update!(trust_level: TrustLevel[4])
         sign_in(user)
@@ -4013,6 +4016,46 @@ RSpec.describe TopicsController do
         expect(response.status).to eq(403)
         expect(response.parsed_body["error_type"]).to eq('invalid_access')
       end
+
+      it "allows a category moderator to create a delete timer" do
+        user.update!(trust_level: TrustLevel[4])
+        topic.category.update!(reviewable_by_group: user.groups.first)
+
+        sign_in(user)
+
+        post "/t/#{topic.id}/timer.json", params: {
+          time: 10,
+          status_type: 'delete'
+        }
+
+        expect(response.status).to eq(200)
+      end
+
+      it "raises an error setting a delete timer" do
+        user.update!(trust_level: TrustLevel[4])
+        sign_in(user)
+
+        post "/t/#{topic.id}/timer.json", params: {
+          time: 10,
+          status_type: 'delete'
+        }
+
+        expect(response.status).to eq(403)
+        expect(response.parsed_body["error_type"]).to eq('invalid_access')
+      end
+
+      it "raises an error setting delete_replies timer" do
+        user.update!(trust_level: TrustLevel[4])
+        sign_in(user)
+
+        post "/t/#{topic.id}/timer.json", params: {
+          time: 10,
+          status_type: 'delete_replies'
+        }
+
+        expect(response.status).to eq(403)
+        expect(response.parsed_body["error_type"]).to eq('invalid_access')
+      end
     end
   end