diff --git a/crates/handlers/src/admin/v1/users/deactivate.rs b/crates/handlers/src/admin/v1/users/deactivate.rs
index 87c2361a2..076c06914 100644
--- a/crates/handlers/src/admin/v1/users/deactivate.rs
+++ b/crates/handlers/src/admin/v1/users/deactivate.rs
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ use mas_storage::{
     BoxRng,
     queue::{DeactivateUserJob, QueueJobRepositoryExt as _},
 };
+use schemars::JsonSchema;
+use serde::Deserialize;
 use tracing::info;
 use ulid::Ulid;
 
@@ -49,7 +51,26 @@ impl IntoResponse for RouteError {
     }
 }
 
-pub fn doc(operation: TransformOperation) -> TransformOperation {
+/// # JSON payload for the `POST /api/admin/v1/users/:id/deactivate` endpoint
+#[derive(Default, Deserialize, JsonSchema)]
+#[serde(rename = "DeactivateUserRequest")]
+pub struct Request {
+    /// Whether to skip requesting the homeserver to GDPR-erase the user upon
+    /// deactivation.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    skip_erase: bool,
+}
+
+pub fn doc(mut operation: TransformOperation) -> TransformOperation {
+    operation
+        .inner_mut()
+        .request_body
+        .as_mut()
+        .unwrap()
+        .as_item_mut()
+        .unwrap()
+        .required = false;
+
     operation
         .id("deactivateUser")
         .summary("Deactivate a user")
@@ -76,7 +97,9 @@ pub async fn handler(
     }: CallContext,
     NoApi(mut rng): NoApi<BoxRng>,
     id: UlidPathParam,
+    body: Option<Json<Request>>,
 ) -> Result<Json<SingleResponse<User>>, RouteError> {
+    let Json(params) = body.unwrap_or_default();
     let id = *id;
     let mut user = repo
         .user()
@@ -90,7 +113,11 @@ pub async fn handler(
 
     info!(%user.id, "Scheduling deactivation of user");
     repo.queue_job()
-        .schedule_job(&mut rng, &clock, DeactivateUserJob::new(&user, true))
+        .schedule_job(
+            &mut rng,
+            &clock,
+            DeactivateUserJob::new(&user, !params.skip_erase),
+        )
         .await?;
 
     repo.save().await?;
@@ -105,14 +132,13 @@ pub async fn handler(
 mod tests {
     use chrono::Duration;
     use hyper::{Request, StatusCode};
-    use insta::assert_json_snapshot;
+    use insta::{allow_duplicates, assert_json_snapshot};
     use mas_storage::{Clock, RepositoryAccess, user::UserRepository};
-    use sqlx::PgPool;
+    use sqlx::{PgPool, types::Json};
 
     use crate::test_utils::{RequestBuilderExt, ResponseExt, TestState, setup};
 
-    #[sqlx::test(migrator = "mas_storage_pg::MIGRATOR")]
-    async fn test_deactivate_user(pool: PgPool) {
+    async fn test_deactivate_user_helper(pool: PgPool, skip_erase: Option<bool>) {
         setup();
         let mut state = TestState::from_pool(pool.clone()).await.unwrap();
         let token = state.token_with_scope("urn:mas:admin").await;
@@ -125,9 +151,14 @@ mod tests {
             .unwrap();
         repo.save().await.unwrap();
 
-        let request = Request::post(format!("/api/admin/v1/users/{}/deactivate", user.id))
-            .bearer(&token)
-            .empty();
+        let request =
+            Request::post(format!("/api/admin/v1/users/{}/deactivate", user.id)).bearer(&token);
+        let request = match skip_erase {
+            None => request.empty(),
+            Some(skip_erase) => request.json(serde_json::json!({
+                "skip_erase": skip_erase,
+            })),
+        };
         let response = state.request(request).await;
         response.assert_status(StatusCode::OK);
         let body: serde_json::Value = response.json();
@@ -138,6 +169,20 @@ mod tests {
             serde_json::json!(state.clock.now())
         );
 
+        // It should have scheduled a deactivation job for the user
+        // XXX: we don't have a good way to look for the deactivation job
+        let job: Json<serde_json::Value> = sqlx::query_scalar(
+            "SELECT payload FROM queue_jobs WHERE queue_name = 'deactivate-user'",
+        )
+        .fetch_one(&pool)
+        .await
+        .expect("Deactivation job to be scheduled");
+        assert_eq!(job["user_id"], serde_json::json!(user.id));
+        assert_eq!(
+            job["hs_erase"],
+            serde_json::json!(!skip_erase.unwrap_or(false))
+        );
+
         // Make sure to run the jobs in the queue
         state.run_jobs_in_queue().await;
 
@@ -148,7 +193,7 @@ mod tests {
         response.assert_status(StatusCode::OK);
         let body: serde_json::Value = response.json();
 
-        assert_json_snapshot!(body, @r#"
+        allow_duplicates!(assert_json_snapshot!(body, @r#"
         {
           "data": {
             "type": "user",
@@ -168,7 +213,17 @@ mod tests {
             "self": "/api/admin/v1/users/01FSHN9AG0MZAA6S4AF7CTV32E"
           }
         }
-        "#);
+        "#));
+    }
+
+    #[sqlx::test(migrator = "mas_storage_pg::MIGRATOR")]
+    async fn test_deactivate_user(pool: PgPool) {
+        test_deactivate_user_helper(pool, Option::None).await;
+    }
+
+    #[sqlx::test(migrator = "mas_storage_pg::MIGRATOR")]
+    async fn test_deactivate_user_skip_erase(pool: PgPool) {
+        test_deactivate_user_helper(pool, Option::Some(true)).await;
     }
 
     #[sqlx::test(migrator = "mas_storage_pg::MIGRATOR")]
diff --git a/docs/api/spec.json b/docs/api/spec.json
index 0082ea37c..5cb1beba1 100644
--- a/docs/api/spec.json
+++ b/docs/api/spec.json
@@ -1359,6 +1359,15 @@
             "style": "simple"
           }
         ],
+        "requestBody": {
+          "content": {
+            "application/json": {
+              "schema": {
+                "$ref": "#/components/schemas/DeactivateUserRequest"
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        },
         "responses": {
           "200": {
             "description": "User was deactivated",
@@ -3872,6 +3881,17 @@
           }
         }
       },
+      "DeactivateUserRequest": {
+        "title": "JSON payload for the `POST /api/admin/v1/users/:id/deactivate` endpoint",
+        "type": "object",
+        "properties": {
+          "skip_erase": {
+            "description": "Whether to skip requesting the homeserver to GDPR-erase the user upon deactivation.",
+            "default": false,
+            "type": "boolean"
+          }
+        }
+      },
       "UserEmailFilter": {
         "type": "object",
         "properties": {