diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/src/Metamaps.js b/app/assets/javascripts/src/Metamaps.js
index 86875ecc..07e9af96 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/src/Metamaps.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/src/Metamaps.js
@@ -2751,14 +2751,18 @@ Metamaps.Control = {
 
         var node = Metamaps.Visualize.mGraph.graph.getNode(nodeid);
         var topic = node.getData('topic');
-        var topicid = topic.id;
-        var mapping = node.getData('mapping');
-        topic.destroy();
-        Metamaps.Mappings.remove(mapping);
-        $(document).trigger(Metamaps.JIT.events.deleteTopic, [{
-            topicid: topicid
-        }]);
-        Metamaps.Control.hideNode(nodeid);
+        
+        var permToDelete = Metamaps.Active.Mapper.id === topic.get('user_id');
+        if (permToDelete) {
+            var topicid = topic.id;
+            var mapping = node.getData('mapping');
+            topic.destroy();
+            Metamaps.Mappings.remove(mapping);
+            $(document).trigger(Metamaps.JIT.events.deleteTopic, [{
+                topicid: topicid
+            }]);
+            Metamaps.Control.hideNode(nodeid);
+        }
     },
     removeSelectedNodes: function () { // refers to removing topics permanently from a map
 
@@ -2918,19 +2922,23 @@ Metamaps.Control = {
 
         var synapse = edge.getData("synapses")[index];
         var mapping = edge.getData("mappings")[index];
-        var synapseid = synapse.id;
-        synapse.destroy();
+            
+        var permToDelete = Metamaps.Active.Mapper.id === synapse.get('user_id');
+        if (permToDelete) {
+            var synapseid = synapse.id;
+            synapse.destroy();
 
-        // the server will destroy the mapping, we just need to remove it here
-        Metamaps.Mappings.remove(mapping);
-        edge.getData("mappings").splice(index, 1);
-        edge.getData("synapses").splice(index, 1);
-        if (edge.getData("displayIndex")) {
-            delete edge.data.$displayIndex;
+            // the server will destroy the mapping, we just need to remove it here
+            Metamaps.Mappings.remove(mapping);
+            edge.getData("mappings").splice(index, 1);
+            edge.getData("synapses").splice(index, 1);
+            if (edge.getData("displayIndex")) {
+                delete edge.data.$displayIndex;
+            }
+            $(document).trigger(Metamaps.JIT.events.deleteSynapse, [{
+                synapseid: synapseid
+            }]);
         }
-        $(document).trigger(Metamaps.JIT.events.deleteSynapse, [{
-            synapseid: synapseid
-        }]);
     },
     removeSelectedEdges: function () {
         var l = Metamaps.Selected.Edges.length,
diff --git a/app/controllers/synapses_controller.rb b/app/controllers/synapses_controller.rb
index c048627c..6ff1537b 100644
--- a/app/controllers/synapses_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/synapses_controller.rb
@@ -49,16 +49,16 @@ class SynapsesController < ApplicationController
   # DELETE synapses/:id
   def destroy
     @current = current_user
-    @synapse = Synapse.find(params[:id]).authorize_to_edit(@current)
+    @synapse = Synapse.find(params[:id]).authorize_to_delete(@current)
 
-    @synapse.mappings.each do |m|
-    
-      m.map.touch(:updated_at)
-          
-      m.delete
+    if @synapse
+      @synapse.mappings.each do |m|
+        m.map.touch(:updated_at)
+        m.delete
+      end
+
+      @synapse.delete
     end
-
-    @synapse.delete if @synapse
       
     respond_to do |format|
       format.json { head :no_content }
diff --git a/app/controllers/topics_controller.rb b/app/controllers/topics_controller.rb
index e39b67a8..ca24d1fb 100644
--- a/app/controllers/topics_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/topics_controller.rb
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ class TopicsController < ApplicationController
     # DELETE topics/:id
     def destroy
         @current = current_user
-        @topic = Topic.find(params[:id]).authorize_to_edit(@current)
+        @topic = Topic.find(params[:id]).authorize_to_delete(@current)
 
         if @topic 
             @synapses = @topic.synapses
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ class TopicsController < ApplicationController
         end
 
         respond_to do |format|
-            format.js { render :json => "success" }
+            format.json { head :no_content }
         end
     end
 end
diff --git a/app/models/synapse.rb b/app/models/synapse.rb
index 4766f7ea..a1395648 100644
--- a/app/models/synapse.rb
+++ b/app/models/synapse.rb
@@ -39,6 +39,13 @@ class Synapse < ActiveRecord::Base
 	end
 	return self
   end
+
+  def authorize_to_delete(user)  
+    if (self.user != user)
+      return false
+    end
+    return self
+  end
   
   # returns Boolean if user allowed to view Topic, Synapse, or Map
   def authorize_to_view(user)  
diff --git a/app/models/topic.rb b/app/models/topic.rb
index 4d9cd527..7e5fff94 100644
--- a/app/models/topic.rb
+++ b/app/models/topic.rb
@@ -110,6 +110,13 @@ class Topic < ActiveRecord::Base
 	end
 	return self
   end
+
+  def authorize_to_delete(user)  
+    if (self.user != user)
+      return false
+    end
+    return self
+  end
   
   # returns Boolean if user allowed to view Topic, Synapse, or Map
   def authorize_to_view(user)