diff --git a/crates/escurel-index/src/acl.rs b/crates/escurel-index/src/acl.rs
index 27acc37..99387a9 100644
--- a/crates/escurel-index/src/acl.rs
+++ b/crates/escurel-index/src/acl.rs
@@ -123,24 +123,25 @@ impl Indexer {
             Some((_, owner_field)) => owner_field,
             None => None,
         };
-        // No hijack: the caller must own the EXISTING page (when overwriting).
-        if let Some(existing) = existing_fm
-            && self
+        match existing_fm {
+            // OVERWRITE/DELETE: the caller must own the EXISTING page (no
+            // hijack). Owning it, they may rewrite it however they like —
+            // including releasing or tombstoning it (e.g. `/delete-my-data`
+            // repoints the owner wikilink at a deleted placeholder), so the
+            // incoming owner is NOT re-checked here.
+            Some(existing) => Ok(self
                 .resolve_owner_subject(owner_field.as_deref(), existing)
                 .await?
                 .as_deref()
-                != Some(caller.subject)
-        {
-            return Ok(false);
-        }
-        // No transfer/create-for-another: the caller must own the INCOMING
-        // owner too (and an unresolved owner denies).
-        match self
-            .resolve_owner_subject(owner_field.as_deref(), incoming_fm)
-            .await?
-        {
-            Some(owner) => Ok(owner == caller.subject),
-            None => Ok(false),
+                == Some(caller.subject)),
+            // CREATE: the caller must own the INCOMING content (no
+            // create-for-/transfer-to another subject). An unresolved owner
+            // (public / no `owner_field`) denies → admin-create only.
+            None => Ok(self
+                .resolve_owner_subject(owner_field.as_deref(), incoming_fm)
+                .await?
+                .as_deref()
+                == Some(caller.subject)),
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/crates/escurel-index/tests/write_acl.rs b/crates/escurel-index/tests/write_acl.rs
index 33e0a7c..72396d1 100644
--- a/crates/escurel-index/tests/write_acl.rs
+++ b/crates/escurel-index/tests/write_acl.rs
@@ -185,6 +185,47 @@ async fn admin_writes_any_owner_private_instance() {
     );
 }
 
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn owner_may_tombstone_own_instance() {
+    // Self-deletion (`/delete-my-data`) repoints the owner wikilink at a
+    // deleted placeholder (unresolvable). The OWNER of the existing page may
+    // still write it — owning the existing page authorises the write, not the
+    // incoming owner. (Would be denied if the incoming owner were re-checked.)
+    let h = fresh_harness();
+    seed(
+        &h,
+        &[
+            SKILL_MEMBER,
+            SKILL_EVENT_PROFILE,
+            INST_ALICE,
+            INST_ALICE_PROFILE,
+        ],
+    )
+    .await;
+    let existing = fm(&h, "event_profile", "alice-ki-gipfel").await;
+    let tombstone = serde_json::json!({
+        "type": "instance",
+        "skill": "event_profile",
+        "id": "alice-ki-gipfel",
+        "member": "[[community_member::geloescht]]",
+        "event": "ki-gipfel",
+    });
+    assert!(
+        h.indexer
+            .may_write_instance(&member(ALICE), "event_profile", Some(&existing), &tombstone)
+            .await
+            .unwrap(),
+        "owner may tombstone/release their own record"
+    );
+    assert!(
+        !h.indexer
+            .may_write_instance(&member(BOB), "event_profile", Some(&existing), &tombstone)
+            .await
+            .unwrap(),
+        "a non-owner still cannot (existing owner is alice)"
+    );
+}
+
 #[tokio::test]
 async fn owner_resolved_through_wikilink_for_write() {
     let h = fresh_harness();
diff --git a/crates/escurel-test-support/src/lib.rs b/crates/escurel-test-support/src/lib.rs
index 236797f..1acf33a 100644
--- a/crates/escurel-test-support/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/escurel-test-support/src/lib.rs
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ pub use auth::{AuthMode, Role};
 pub use fixtures::{FixtureBuilder, MarkdownBody, TenantFixture};
 pub use mcp_client::{McpError, McpTestClient};
 pub use process::{ConfigOverrides, EscurelProcess, Opts};
+// Re-export so consumers can set `ConfigOverrides.write_acl` in their own
+// integration tests without depending on `escurel-server` directly.
+pub use escurel_server::WriteAclMode;
 
 // Re-export the request/response types the test author needs so
 // they can mirror the `Client` surface without a second