diff --git a/classes/Profile.php b/classes/Profile.php
index 6ad0e7a3a3..8385ebf889 100644
--- a/classes/Profile.php
+++ b/classes/Profile.php
@@ -461,4 +461,79 @@ class Profile extends Memcached_DataObject
             $c->delete(common_cache_key('profile:notice_count:'.$this->id));
         }
     }
+
+    function delete()
+    {
+        $this->_deleteNotices();
+        $this->_deleteSubscriptions();
+        $this->_deleteMessages();
+        $this->_deleteTags();
+        $this->_deleteBlocks();
+
+        $related = array('Avatar',
+                         'Reply',
+                         'Group_member',
+                         );
+
+        foreach ($related as $cls) {
+            $inst = new $cls();
+            $inst->profile_id = $this->id;
+            $inst->delete();
+        }
+
+        parent::delete();
+    }
+
+    function _deleteNotices()
+    {
+        $notice = new Notice();
+        $notice->profile_id = $this->id;
+
+        if ($notice->find()) {
+            while ($notice->fetch()) {
+                $other = clone($notice);
+                $other->delete();
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    function _deleteSubscriptions()
+    {
+        $sub = new Subscription();
+        $sub->subscriber = $this->id;
+        $sub->delete();
+
+        $subd = new Subscription();
+        $subd->subscribed = $this->id;
+        $subd->delete();
+    }
+
+    function _deleteMessages()
+    {
+        $msg = new Message();
+        $msg->from_profile = $this->id;
+        $msg->delete();
+
+        $msg = new Message();
+        $msg->to_profile = $this->id;
+        $msg->delete();
+    }
+
+    function _deleteTags()
+    {
+        $tag = new Profile_tag();
+        $tag->tagged = $this->id;
+        $tag->delete();
+    }
+
+    function _deleteBlocks()
+    {
+        $block = new Profile_block();
+        $block->blocked = $this->id;
+        $block->delete();
+
+        $block = new Group_block();
+        $block->blocked = $this->id;
+        $block->delete();
+    }
 }
diff --git a/classes/User.php b/classes/User.php
index 8386f1e185..007662131c 100644
--- a/classes/User.php
+++ b/classes/User.php
@@ -689,4 +689,48 @@ class User extends Memcached_DataObject
     {
         return Design::staticGet('id', $this->design_id);
     }
+
+    function delete()
+    {
+        $profile = $this->getProfile();
+        $profile->delete();
+
+        $related = array('Fave',
+                         'User_openid',
+                         'Confirm_address',
+                         'Remember_me',
+                         'Foreign_link',
+                         'Invitation',
+                         );
+
+        if (common_config('inboxes', 'enabled')) {
+            $related[] = 'Notice_inbox';
+        }
+
+        foreach ($related as $cls) {
+            $inst = new $cls();
+            $inst->user_id = $this->id;
+            $inst->delete();
+        }
+
+        $this->_deleteTags();
+        $this->_deleteBlocks();
+
+        parent::delete();
+    }
+
+    function _deleteTags()
+    {
+        $tag = new Profile_tag();
+        $tag->tagger = $this->id;
+        $tag->delete();
+    }
+
+    function _deleteBlocks()
+    {
+        $block = new Profile_block();
+        $block->blocker = $this->id;
+        $block->delete();
+        // XXX delete group block? Reset blocker?
+    }
 }
diff --git a/scripts/deleteuser.php b/scripts/deleteuser.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..52389123c5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/deleteuser.php
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env php
+<?php
+/*
+ * StatusNet - a distributed open-source microblogging tool
+ * Copyright (C) 2008, 2009, StatusNet, Inc.
+ *
+ * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+ * along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+define('INSTALLDIR', realpath(dirname(__FILE__) . '/..'));
+
+$shortoptions = 'i::n::y';
+$longoptions = array('id::nickname::yes');
+
+$helptext = <<<END_OF_DELETEUSER_HELP
+deleteuser.php [options]
+deletes a user from the database
+
+  -i --id       ID of the user
+  -n --nickname nickname of the user
+  -y --yes      do not wait for confirmation
+
+END_OF_DELETEUSER_HELP;
+
+require_once INSTALLDIR.'/scripts/commandline.inc';
+
+if (have_option('i', 'id')) {
+    $id = get_option_value('i', 'id');
+    $user = User::staticGet('id', $id);
+    if (empty($user)) {
+        print "Can't find user with ID $id\n";
+        exit(1);
+    }
+} else if (have_option('n', 'nickname')) {
+    $nickname = get_option_value('n', 'nickname');
+    $user = User::staticGet('nickname', $nickname);
+    if (empty($user)) {
+        print "Can't find user with nickname '$nickname'\n";
+        exit(1);
+    }
+} else {
+    print "You must provide either an ID or a nickname.\n";
+    exit(1);
+}
+
+if (!have_option('y', 'yes')) {
+    print "About to PERMANENTLY delete user '{$user->nickname}' ({$user->id}). Are you sure? [y/N] ";
+    $response = fgets(STDIN);
+    if (strtolower(trim($response)) != 'y') {
+        print "Aborting.\n";
+        exit(0);
+    }
+}
+
+print "Deleting...";
+$user->delete();
+print "DONE.\n";