diff --git a/lib/who_need_help/accounts.ex b/lib/who_need_help/accounts.ex
index 0eaecf8..a5bf87d 100644
--- a/lib/who_need_help/accounts.ex
+++ b/lib/who_need_help/accounts.ex
@@ -211,6 +211,9 @@ defmodule WhoNeedHelp.Accounts do
           requested_status = attrs["moderation_status"] || attrs[:moderation_status]
 
           cond do
+            user.role in [:moderator, :admin] and not admin_authorized?(moderator) ->
+              {:error, :forbidden}
+
             user.id == moderator.id and
                 requested_status in [:restricted, :suspended, "restricted", "suspended"] ->
               {:error, :cannot_restrict_self}
diff --git a/lib/who_need_help/accounts/user.ex b/lib/who_need_help/accounts/user.ex
index 988d53f..ea0814a 100644
--- a/lib/who_need_help/accounts/user.ex
+++ b/lib/who_need_help/accounts/user.ex
@@ -102,6 +102,15 @@ defmodule WhoNeedHelp.Accounts.User do
     |> cast(attrs, [:moderation_status, :moderation_note])
     |> validate_required([:moderation_status])
     |> validate_length(:moderation_note, max: 1_000)
+    |> require_moderation_note()
+  end
+
+  defp require_moderation_note(changeset) do
+    if get_field(changeset, :moderation_status) in [:restricted, :suspended] do
+      validate_required(changeset, :moderation_note)
+    else
+      changeset
+    end
   end
 
   def role_changeset(user, attrs) do
diff --git a/lib/who_need_help_web/live/moderation_live.ex b/lib/who_need_help_web/live/moderation_live.ex
index ef73cc6..53dfd16 100644
--- a/lib/who_need_help_web/live/moderation_live.ex
+++ b/lib/who_need_help_web/live/moderation_live.ex
@@ -316,6 +316,10 @@ defmodule WhoNeedHelpWeb.ModerationLive do
 
   defp report_activity(_report), do: nil
 
+  defp can_moderate_account?(%{role: :admin}, _target), do: true
+  defp can_moderate_account?(%{role: :moderator}, %{role: :user}), do: true
+  defp can_moderate_account?(_actor, _target), do: false
+
   @impl true
   def render(assigns) do
     ~H"""
@@ -685,6 +689,7 @@ defmodule WhoNeedHelpWeb.ModerationLive do
                 <td>{status_label(user.moderation_status)}</td>
                 <td>
                   <.form
+                    :if={can_moderate_account?(@current_scope.user, user)}
                     for={user_form}
                     phx-submit="moderate-user"
                     phx-value-id={user.id}
@@ -705,6 +710,12 @@ defmodule WhoNeedHelpWeb.ModerationLive do
                     />
                     <.button class="btn btn-sm btn-primary self-end">{gettext("Save")}</.button>
                   </.form>
+                  <p
+                    :if={not can_moderate_account?(@current_scope.user, user)}
+                    class="text-xs text-base-content/55"
+                  >
+                    {gettext("Administrator access is required to moderate staff accounts.")}
+                  </p>
                   <.form
                     :if={@current_scope.user.role == :admin}
                     for={role_form}
diff --git a/test/who_need_help/trust_safety_test.exs b/test/who_need_help/trust_safety_test.exs
index c1da46b..10caa3e 100644
--- a/test/who_need_help/trust_safety_test.exs
+++ b/test/who_need_help/trust_safety_test.exs
@@ -452,7 +452,10 @@ defmodule WhoNeedHelp.TrustSafetyTest do
 
   test "restricted accounts cannot perform trust-sensitive actions", context do
     context.helper
-    |> WhoNeedHelp.Accounts.User.moderation_changeset(%{moderation_status: :restricted})
+    |> WhoNeedHelp.Accounts.User.moderation_changeset(%{
+      moderation_status: :restricted,
+      moderation_note: "Test restriction"
+    })
     |> Repo.update!()
 
     assert {:error, :account_not_eligible} =
@@ -587,7 +590,7 @@ defmodule WhoNeedHelp.TrustSafetyTest do
            )
   end
 
-  test "restricted moderators lose authorization and the last active admin cannot be suspended",
+  test "restricted moderators lose authorization and moderators cannot suspend administrators",
        context do
     admin =
       user_fixture(display_name: "Administrator")
@@ -609,7 +612,8 @@ defmodule WhoNeedHelp.TrustSafetyTest do
     restricted =
       moderator
       |> WhoNeedHelp.Accounts.User.moderation_changeset(%{
-        "moderation_status" => "restricted"
+        "moderation_status" => "restricted",
+        "moderation_note" => "Test moderator restriction"
       })
       |> Repo.update!()
 
@@ -634,7 +638,8 @@ defmodule WhoNeedHelp.TrustSafetyTest do
 
     assert {:ok, suspended} =
              Trust.moderate_user(user_scope_fixture(active_moderator), context.helper.id, %{
-               "moderation_status" => "suspended"
+               "moderation_status" => "suspended",
+               "moderation_note" => "Confirmed safety policy violation"
              })
 
     assert suspended.moderation_status == :suspended
@@ -649,14 +654,50 @@ defmodule WhoNeedHelp.TrustSafetyTest do
              active: true
            )
 
-    assert {:error, :last_admin} =
+    assert {:error, :forbidden} =
              Trust.moderate_user(user_scope_fixture(active_moderator), admin.id, %{
-               "moderation_status" => "suspended"
+               "moderation_status" => "suspended",
+               "moderation_note" => "Attempted staff restriction"
              })
 
     assert Repo.get!(WhoNeedHelp.Accounts.User, admin.id).moderation_status == :active
   end
 
+  test "moderators cannot restrict staff and restrictions require an internal note", context do
+    admin =
+      user_fixture(display_name: "Staff administrator")
+      |> Ecto.Changeset.change(role: :admin)
+      |> Repo.update!()
+
+    moderator =
+      user_fixture(display_name: "Staff moderator")
+      |> Ecto.Changeset.change(role: :moderator)
+      |> Repo.update!()
+
+    assert {:error, :forbidden} =
+             Trust.moderate_user(user_scope_fixture(moderator), admin.id, %{
+               "moderation_status" => "restricted",
+               "moderation_note" => "A moderator must not restrict an administrator"
+             })
+
+    assert {:error, %Ecto.Changeset{} = changeset} =
+             Trust.moderate_user(user_scope_fixture(admin), context.helper.id, %{
+               "moderation_status" => "restricted",
+               "moderation_note" => ""
+             })
+
+    assert "can't be blank" in errors_on(changeset).moderation_note
+    assert Repo.get!(WhoNeedHelp.Accounts.User, context.helper.id).moderation_status == :active
+
+    assert {:ok, restricted} =
+             Trust.moderate_user(user_scope_fixture(admin), moderator.id, %{
+               "moderation_status" => "restricted",
+               "moderation_note" => "Administrator-reviewed staff restriction"
+             })
+
+    assert restricted.moderation_status == :restricted
+  end
+
   test "the first administrator bootstrap is one-time and audited", context do
     assert {:ok, admin} = Release.bootstrap_admin(context.helper.email)
     assert admin.id == context.helper.id
diff --git a/test/who_need_help_web/live/mutual_aid_live_test.exs b/test/who_need_help_web/live/mutual_aid_live_test.exs
index 19c5480..31552f8 100644
--- a/test/who_need_help_web/live/mutual_aid_live_test.exs
+++ b/test/who_need_help_web/live/mutual_aid_live_test.exs
@@ -1139,6 +1139,8 @@ defmodule WhoNeedHelpWeb.MutualAidLiveTest do
     assert html =~ "Accounts"
     assert html =~ "Please review the matched conversation."
     assert html =~ "Bicycle repair"
+    refute has_element?(view, "#moderation-user-status-#{user.id}")
+    assert html =~ "Administrator access is required to moderate staff accounts."
 
     assert has_element?(
              view,