diff --git a/xlators/features/read-only/src/read-only.h b/xlators/features/read-only/src/read-only.h
index d74053a2a..9ad4a6c79 100644
--- a/xlators/features/read-only/src/read-only.h
+++ b/xlators/features/read-only/src/read-only.h
@@ -24,13 +24,14 @@ typedef struct {
 } worm_reten_state_t;
 
 typedef struct {
-    gf_boolean_t readonly_or_worm_enabled;
-    gf_boolean_t worm_file;
-    gf_boolean_t worm_files_deletable;
-    uint64_t reten_period;
-    uint64_t com_period;
-    char *reten_mode;
-    time_t start_time;
+    gf_boolean_t          readonly_or_worm_enabled;
+    gf_boolean_t          worm_file;
+    gf_boolean_t          worm_files_deletable;
+    uint64_t              reten_period;
+    uint64_t              com_period;
+    char                  *reten_mode;
+    time_t                start_time;
+    gf_boolean_t          delete_retained;
 } read_only_priv_t;
 
 #endif
diff --git a/xlators/features/read-only/src/worm.c b/xlators/features/read-only/src/worm.c
index db128b751..0f26e1eec 100644
--- a/xlators/features/read-only/src/worm.c
+++ b/xlators/features/read-only/src/worm.c
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ worm_unlink(call_frame_t *frame, xlator_t *this, loc_t *loc, int32_t flags,
     if (is_readonly_or_worm_enabled(frame, this)) {
         goto out;
     }
-    if (!priv->worm_file || (frame->root->pid < 0)) {
+    if (!priv->worm_file || (frame->root->pid < 0) || priv->delete_retained) {
         op_errno = 0;
         goto out;
     }
@@ -514,6 +514,7 @@ init(xlator_t *this)
     GF_OPTION_INIT("retention-mode", priv->reten_mode, str, out);
     GF_OPTION_INIT("worm-files-deletable", priv->worm_files_deletable, bool,
                    out);
+    GF_OPTION_INIT("delete-retained", priv->delete_retained, bool, out);
 
     ret = 0;
 out:
@@ -539,6 +540,7 @@ reconfigure(xlator_t *this, dict_t *options)
                      out);
     GF_OPTION_RECONF("worm-files-deletable", priv->worm_files_deletable,
                      options, bool, out);
+    GF_OPTION_RECONF("delete-retained", priv->delete-retained, options, bool, out);
     ret = 0;
 out:
     gf_log(this->name, GF_LOG_DEBUG, "returning %d", ret);
@@ -632,5 +634,11 @@ struct volume_options options[] = {
      .op_version = {GD_OP_VERSION_3_8_0},
      .flags = OPT_FLAG_SETTABLE,
      .description = "Auto commit period for the files."},
+    {.key = {"delete-retained"},
+     .type = GF_OPTION_TYPE_BOOL,
+     .default_value = "off",
+     .op_version = {GD_OP_VERSION_5_4},
+     .flags = OPT_FLAG_SETTABLE,
+     .description = "When \"on\", one can delete files in WORMed/Retain mode"},
     {.key = {NULL}},
 };
diff --git a/xlators/mgmt/glusterd/src/glusterd-volume-set.c b/xlators/mgmt/glusterd/src/glusterd-volume-set.c
index fa260253a..dc02d0ca2 100644
--- a/xlators/mgmt/glusterd/src/glusterd-volume-set.c
+++ b/xlators/mgmt/glusterd/src/glusterd-volume-set.c
@@ -2762,6 +2762,13 @@ struct volopt_map_entry glusterd_volopt_map[] = {
         .validate_fn = validate_worm_period,
         .op_version = GD_OP_VERSION_3_8_0,
     },
+    {
+        .key = "features.delete-retained",
+        .voltype = "features/worm",
+        .option = "delete-retained",
+        .validate_fn = validate_boolean,
+        .op_version = GD_OP_VERSION_5_4,
+    },
     {.key = "storage.linux-aio", .voltype = "storage/posix", .op_version = 1},
     {.key = "storage.batch-fsync-mode",
      .voltype = "storage/posix",