diff --git a/plugins/chat/app/services/chat/channel_view_builder.rb b/plugins/chat/app/services/chat/channel_view_builder.rb
index 5bbbbdeb200..3e86f0e1f8c 100644
--- a/plugins/chat/app/services/chat/channel_view_builder.rb
+++ b/plugins/chat/app/services/chat/channel_view_builder.rb
@@ -65,9 +65,12 @@ module Chat
       guardian.can_preview_chat_channel?(channel)
     end
 
-    def target_message_exists(contract:, **)
+    def target_message_exists(contract:, guardian:, **)
       return true if contract.target_message_id.blank?
-      Chat::Message.exists?(id: contract.target_message_id)
+      target_message = Chat::Message.unscoped.find_by(id: contract.target_message_id)
+      return false if target_message.blank?
+      return true if !target_message.trashed?
+      target_message.user_id == guardian.user.id || guardian.is_staff?
     end
 
     def determine_threads_enabled(channel:, **)
diff --git a/plugins/chat/spec/services/chat/channel_view_builder_spec.rb b/plugins/chat/spec/services/chat/channel_view_builder_spec.rb
index 62487fac01c..15890292a43 100644
--- a/plugins/chat/spec/services/chat/channel_view_builder_spec.rb
+++ b/plugins/chat/spec/services/chat/channel_view_builder_spec.rb
@@ -228,6 +228,18 @@ RSpec.describe Chat::ChannelViewBuilder do
         before { message.trash! }
 
         it { is_expected.to fail_a_policy(:target_message_exists) }
+
+        context "when the user is the owner of the trashed message" do
+          before { message.update!(user: current_user) }
+
+          it { is_expected.not_to fail_a_policy(:target_message_exists) }
+        end
+
+        context "when the user is admin" do
+          before { current_user.update!(admin: true) }
+
+          it { is_expected.not_to fail_a_policy(:target_message_exists) }
+        end
       end
     end
   end