diff --git a/src/routes/api.js b/src/routes/api.js
index d3bbbdc1cd..f5f19a8075 100644
--- a/src/routes/api.js
+++ b/src/routes/api.js
@@ -101,9 +101,12 @@ var user = require('./../user.js'),
 			res.json(data);
 		});
 
-		app.get('/api/topic/:id/:slug?', function(req, res) {
+		app.get('/api/topic/:id/:slug?', function(req, res, next) {
 			var uid = (req.user) ? req.user.uid : 0;
 			topics.getTopicWithPosts(req.params.id, uid, function(err, data) {
+				if(data.deleted === '1' && data.expose_tools === 0) {
+					return res.json(404, {});
+				}
 				res.json(data);
 			});
 		});
diff --git a/src/webserver.js b/src/webserver.js
index 52cfb71c19..ff0aa67221 100644
--- a/src/webserver.js
+++ b/src/webserver.js
@@ -207,6 +207,7 @@ var express = require('express'),
 
 
 		app.get('/topic/:topic_id/:slug?', function(req, res) {
+
 			var tid = req.params.topic_id;
 			if (tid.match(/^\d+\.rss$/)) {
 				fs.readFile('feeds/topics/' + tid, function (err, data) {
@@ -221,13 +222,19 @@ var express = require('express'),
 			}
 
 			async.waterfall([
+				function(next) {
+					topics.getTopicField(tid, 'deleted', function(err, deleted) {
+						if(deleted === '1')
+							return next(1, null);
+					});
+				},
 				function(next) {
 					topics.getTopicWithPosts(tid, ((req.user) ? req.user.uid : 0), function(err, topicData) {
 						next(err, topicData);
 					});
 				},
 				function(topicData, next) {
-					var	posts = topicData.posts.push(topicData.main_posts[0]),
+					var posts = topicData.posts.push(topicData.main_posts[0]),
 						lastMod = 0,
 						timestamp;