diff --git a/app/controllers/ForumController.scala b/app/controllers/ForumController.scala
index e5c175ea9cc1f..54eba522ac7c5 100644
--- a/app/controllers/ForumController.scala
+++ b/app/controllers/ForumController.scala
@@ -16,9 +16,10 @@ private[controllers] trait ForumController { self: LilaController =>
   protected def teamCache = env.team.cached
 
   protected def CategGrantWrite[A <: Result](
-      categSlug: String
+      categSlug: String,
+      tryingToPostAsMod: Boolean = false
   )(a: => Fu[A])(implicit ctx: Context): Fu[Result] =
-    access.isGrantedWrite(categSlug) flatMap { granted =>
+    access.isGrantedWrite(categSlug, tryingToPostAsMod) flatMap { granted =>
       if (granted) a
       else fuccess(Forbidden("You cannot post to this category"))
     }
diff --git a/app/controllers/ForumPost.scala b/app/controllers/ForumPost.scala
index 1069a26f32f4d..35da3ee3b91eb 100644
--- a/app/controllers/ForumPost.scala
+++ b/app/controllers/ForumPost.scala
@@ -27,18 +27,18 @@ final class ForumPost(env: Env) extends LilaController(env) with ForumController
   def create(categSlug: String, slug: String, page: Int) =
     AuthBody { implicit ctx => me =>
       NoBot {
-        CategGrantWrite(categSlug) {
-          implicit val req = ctx.body
-          OptionFuResult(topicApi.show(categSlug, slug, page, ctx.me)) { case (categ, topic, posts) =>
-            if (topic.closed) fuccess(BadRequest("This topic is closed"))
-            else if (topic.isOld) fuccess(BadRequest("This topic is archived"))
-            else
-              categ.team.?? { env.team.cached.isLeader(_, me.id) } flatMap { inOwnTeam =>
-                forms
-                  .post(me, inOwnTeam)
-                  .bindFromRequest()
-                  .fold(
-                    err =>
+        implicit val req = ctx.body
+        OptionFuResult(topicApi.show(categSlug, slug, page, ctx.me)) { case (categ, topic, posts) =>
+          if (topic.closed) fuccess(BadRequest("This topic is closed"))
+          else if (topic.isOld) fuccess(BadRequest("This topic is archived"))
+          else
+            categ.team.?? { env.team.cached.isLeader(_, me.id) } flatMap { inOwnTeam =>
+              forms
+                .post(me, inOwnTeam)
+                .bindFromRequest()
+                .fold(
+                  err =>
+                    CategGrantWrite(categSlug, tryingToPostAsMod = true) {
                       for {
                         captcha     <- forms.anyCaptcha
                         unsub       <- env.timeline.status(s"forum:${topic.id}")(me.id)
@@ -46,16 +46,18 @@ final class ForumPost(env: Env) extends LilaController(env) with ForumController
                       } yield BadRequest(
                         html.forum.topic
                           .show(categ, topic, posts, Some(err -> captcha), unsub, canModCateg = canModCateg)
-                      ),
-                    data =>
+                      )
+                    },
+                  data =>
+                    CategGrantWrite(categSlug, tryingToPostAsMod = ~data.modIcon) {
                       CreateRateLimit(ctx.ip) {
                         postApi.makePost(categ, topic, data, me) map { post =>
                           Redirect(routes.ForumPost.redirect(post.id))
                         }
                       }(rateLimitedFu)
-                  )
-              }
-          }
+                    }
+                )
+            }
         }
       }
     }
diff --git a/app/controllers/ForumTopic.scala b/app/controllers/ForumTopic.scala
index 5c49403a16ddd..99934b24b02a1 100644
--- a/app/controllers/ForumTopic.scala
+++ b/app/controllers/ForumTopic.scala
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ final class ForumTopic(env: Env) extends LilaController(env) with ForumControlle
           for {
             unsub       <- ctx.userId ?? env.timeline.status(s"forum:${topic.id}")
             canRead     <- access.isGrantedRead(categ.slug)
-            canWrite    <- access.isGrantedWrite(categ.slug)
+            canWrite    <- access.isGrantedWrite(categ.slug, tryingToPostAsMod = true)
             canModCateg <- access.isGrantedMod(categ.slug)
             inOwnTeam <- ~(categ.team, ctx.me).mapN { case (teamId, me) =>
               env.team.cached.isLeader(teamId, me.id)
diff --git a/modules/api/src/main/ForumAccess.scala b/modules/api/src/main/ForumAccess.scala
index ed9e7df354ac0..a560c1ec7e506 100644
--- a/modules/api/src/main/ForumAccess.scala
+++ b/modules/api/src/main/ForumAccess.scala
@@ -13,10 +13,10 @@ final class ForumAccess(teamApi: lila.team.TeamApi, teamCached: lila.team.Cached
   case object Read  extends Operation
   case object Write extends Operation
 
-  def isGranted(categSlug: String, op: Operation)(implicit ctx: UserContext): Fu[Boolean] =
+  private def isGranted(categSlug: String, op: Operation)(implicit ctx: UserContext): Fu[Boolean] =
     Categ.slugToTeamId(categSlug).fold(fuTrue) { teamId =>
       ctx.me ?? { me =>
-        fuccess(Granter(Permission.ModerateForum)(me)) >>| teamCached.forumAccess.get(teamId).flatMap {
+        teamCached.forumAccess.get(teamId).flatMap {
           case Team.Access.NONE => fuFalse
           case Team.Access.EVERYONE =>
             op match {
@@ -34,10 +34,14 @@ final class ForumAccess(teamApi: lila.team.TeamApi, teamCached: lila.team.Cached
     }
 
   def isGrantedRead(categSlug: String)(implicit ctx: UserContext): Fu[Boolean] =
-    isGranted(categSlug, Read)
-
-  def isGrantedWrite(categSlug: String)(implicit ctx: UserContext): Fu[Boolean] =
-    ctx.me.exists(canWriteInAnyForum) ?? isGranted(categSlug, Write)
+    if (ctx.me ?? Granter(Permission.Shusher)) fuTrue
+    else isGranted(categSlug, Read)
+
+  def isGrantedWrite(categSlug: String, tryingToPostAsMod: Boolean = false)(implicit
+      ctx: UserContext
+  ): Fu[Boolean] =
+    if (tryingToPostAsMod && ctx.me ?? Granter(Permission.Shusher)) fuTrue
+    else ctx.me.exists(canWriteInAnyForum) ?? isGranted(categSlug, Write)
 
   private def canWriteInAnyForum(u: User) =
     !u.isBot && {