diff --git a/api/comment.go b/api/comment.go
index 11a3f4e..2022ec3 100644
--- a/api/comment.go
+++ b/api/comment.go
@@ -16,4 +16,5 @@ type comment struct {
 	State        string    `json:"state,omitempty"`
 	CreationDate time.Time `json:"creationDate"`
 	Direction    int       `json:"direction"`
+	Deleted      bool      `json:"deleted"`
 }
diff --git a/api/comment_delete.go b/api/comment_delete.go
index 81d5a00..81b8a77 100644
--- a/api/comment_delete.go
+++ b/api/comment_delete.go
@@ -10,8 +10,9 @@ func commentDelete(commentHex string) error {
 	}
 
 	statement := `
-		DELETE FROM comments
-		WHERE commentHex=$1;
+		UPDATE comments
+		SET deleted = true, markdown = '[deleted]', html = '[deleted]', commenterHex = 'anonymous'
+		WHERE commentHex = $1;
 	`
 	_, err := db.Exec(statement, commentHex)
 
diff --git a/api/comment_get.go b/api/comment_get.go
index 90c984b..5c14540 100644
--- a/api/comment_get.go
+++ b/api/comment_get.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ func commentGetByCommentHex(commentHex string) (comment, error) {
 			parentHex,
 			score,
 			state,
+			deleted,
 			creationDate
 		FROM comments
 		WHERE comments.commentHex = $1;
@@ -31,6 +32,7 @@ func commentGetByCommentHex(commentHex string) (comment, error) {
 		&c.ParentHex,
 		&c.Score,
 		&c.State,
+		&c.Deleted,
 		&c.CreationDate); err != nil {
 		// TODO: is this the only error?
 		return c, errorNoSuchComment
diff --git a/api/comment_list.go b/api/comment_list.go
index 353f5ec..8827417 100644
--- a/api/comment_list.go
+++ b/api/comment_list.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ func commentList(commenterHex string, domain string, path string, includeUnappro
 			parentHex,
 			score,
 			state,
+			deleted,
 			creationDate
 		FROM comments
 		WHERE
@@ -66,6 +67,7 @@ func commentList(commenterHex string, domain string, path string, includeUnappro
 			&c.ParentHex,
 			&c.Score,
 			&c.State,
+			&c.Deleted,
 			&c.CreationDate); err != nil {
 			return nil, nil, errorInternal
 		}
diff --git a/db/20190913175445-delete-comments.sql b/db/20190913175445-delete-comments.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1ae224d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/20190913175445-delete-comments.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+DROP TRIGGER IF EXISTS commentsDeleteTrigger ON comments;
+
+DROP FUNCTION IF EXISTS commentsDeleteTriggerFunction;
+
+ALTER TABLE comments
+  ADD deleted BOOLEAN NOT NULL DEFAULT false;
diff --git a/frontend/js/commento.js b/frontend/js/commento.js
index afe00ab..7aaf067 100644
--- a/frontend/js/commento.js
+++ b/frontend/js/commento.js
@@ -764,9 +764,9 @@
     }
 
     cur.sort(function(a, b) {
-      if (a.commentHex === stickyCommentHex) {
+      if (!a.deleted && a.commentHex === stickyCommentHex) {
         return -Infinity;
-      } else if (b.commentHex === stickyCommentHex) {
+      } else if (!b.deleted && b.commentHex === stickyCommentHex) {
         return Infinity;
       }
 
@@ -852,7 +852,11 @@
       timeago.title = comment.creationDate.toString();
 
       card.style["borderLeft"] = "2px solid " + color;
-      name.innerText = commenter.name;
+      if (comment.deleted) {
+        name.innerText = "[deleted]";
+      } else {
+        name.innerText = commenter.name;
+      }
       text.innerHTML = comment.html;
       timeago.innerHTML = timeDifference(curTime, comment.creationDate);
       score.innerText = scorify(comment.score);
@@ -947,20 +951,22 @@
 
       append(options, collapse);
 
-      append(options, downvote);
-      append(options, upvote);
+      if (!comment.deleted) {
+        append(options, downvote);
+        append(options, upvote);
+      }
 
       if (comment.commenterHex === selfHex) {
         append(options, edit);
-      } else {
+      } else if (!comment.deleted) {
         append(options, reply);
       }
 
-      if (isModerator && parentHex === "root") {
+      if (!comment.deleted && (isModerator && parentHex === "root")) {
         append(options, sticky);
       }
 
-      if (isModerator || comment.commenterHex === selfHex) {
+      if (!comment.deleted && (isModerator || comment.commenterHex === selfHex)) {
         append(options, remove);
       }
 
@@ -968,7 +974,7 @@
         append(options, approve);
       }
       
-      if (!isModerator && stickyCommentHex === comment.commentHex) {
+      if (!comment.deleted && (!isModerator && stickyCommentHex === comment.commentHex)) {
         append(options, sticky);
       }
 
@@ -1048,8 +1054,8 @@
         errorHide();
       }
 
-      var card = $(ID_CARD + commentHex);
-      remove(card);
+      var text = $(ID_TEXT + commentHex);
+      text.innerText = "[deleted]";
     });
   }