diff --git a/r2/r2/controllers/validator/validator.py b/r2/r2/controllers/validator/validator.py
index 248a4db3f..f56585163 100644
--- a/r2/r2/controllers/validator/validator.py
+++ b/r2/r2/controllers/validator/validator.py
@@ -824,10 +824,17 @@ class VTrafficViewer(VSponsor):
                 promote.is_traffic_viewer(thing, c.user))
 
 class VSrModerator(Validator):
+    def __init__(self, fatal=True, *a, **kw):
+        Validator.__init__(self, *a, **kw)
+        # If True, abort rather than setting an error
+        self.fatal = fatal
+
     def run(self):
         if not (c.user_is_loggedin and c.site.is_moderator(c.user) 
                 or c.user_is_admin):
-            abort(403, "forbidden")
+            if self.fatal:
+                abort(403, "forbidden")
+            return self.set_error('MODERATOR_REQUIRED', code=403)
 
 class VFlairManager(VSrModerator):
     """Validates that a user is permitted to manage flair for a subreddit.
diff --git a/r2/r2/controllers/validator/wiki.py b/r2/r2/controllers/validator/wiki.py
index ec880b7a1..a002e68ea 100644
--- a/r2/r2/controllers/validator/wiki.py
+++ b/r2/r2/controllers/validator/wiki.py
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@ from pylons.controllers.util import redirect_to
 from pylons import c, g, request
 
 from r2.models.wiki import WikiPage, WikiRevision
-from r2.controllers.validator import Validator, validate, make_validated_kw
+from r2.controllers.validator import (Validator, validate, VSrModerator,
+                                      make_validated_kw)
 from r2.lib.db import tdb_cassandra
 
 
@@ -170,6 +171,10 @@ class AbortWikiError(Exception):
 
 page_match_regex = re.compile(r'^[\w_/]+\Z')
 
+class VWikiModerator(VSrModerator):
+    def __init__(self, *a, **kw):
+        VSrModerator.__init__(self, fatal=False, *a, **kw)
+
 class VWikiPage(Validator):
     def __init__(self, param, required=True, restricted=True, modonly=False, **kw):
         self.restricted = restricted
diff --git a/r2/r2/controllers/wiki.py b/r2/r2/controllers/wiki.py
index 1bbbc909c..ec02099d0 100644
--- a/r2/r2/controllers/wiki.py
+++ b/r2/r2/controllers/wiki.py
@@ -37,8 +37,9 @@ from r2.lib.template_helpers import join_urls
 from r2.controllers.validator import VMarkdown
 
 from r2.controllers.validator.wiki import (VWikiPage, VWikiPageAndVersion,
-                                           VWikiPageRevise, VWikiPageCreate,
-                                           this_may_view, wiki_validate)
+                                           VWikiModerator, VWikiPageRevise
+                                           VWikiPageCreate, this_may_view
+                                           wiki_validate)
 
 from r2.lib.pages.wiki import (WikiPageView, WikiNotFound, WikiRevisions,
                               WikiEdit, WikiSettings, WikiRecent,
@@ -269,10 +270,10 @@ class WikiApiController(WikiController):
             self.handle_error(409, 'EDIT_CONFLICT', newcontent=e.new, newrevision=page.revision, diffcontent=e.htmldiff)
         return json.dumps({})
     
-    @wiki_validate(page=VWikiPage('page'), user=VExistingUname('username'))
+    @wiki_validate(VWikiModerator(),
+                   page=VWikiPage('page'),
+                   user=VExistingUname('username'))
     def POST_wiki_allow_editor(self, act, page, user):
-        if not c.is_wiki_mod:
-            self.handle_error(403, 'MOD_REQUIRED')
         if act == 'del':
             page.remove_editor(c.username)
         else:
@@ -281,17 +282,15 @@ class WikiApiController(WikiController):
             page.add_editor(user.name)
         return json.dumps({})
     
-    @wiki_validate(pv=VWikiPageAndVersion(('page', 'revision')))
+    @wiki_validate(VWikiModerator(),
+                   pv=VWikiPageAndVersion(('page', 'revision')))
     def POST_wiki_revision_hide(self, pv, page, revision):
-        if not c.is_wiki_mod:
-            self.handle_error(403, 'MOD_REQUIRED')
         page, revision = pv
         return json.dumps({'status': revision.toggle_hide()})
    
-    @wiki_validate(pv=VWikiPageAndVersion(('page', 'revision')))
+    @wiki_validate(VWikiModerator(),
+                   pv=VWikiPageAndVersion(('page', 'revision')))
     def POST_wiki_revision_revert(self, pv, page, revision):
-        if not c.is_wiki_mod:
-            self.handle_error(403, 'MOD_REQUIRED')
         page, revision = pv
         content = revision.content
         author = revision._get('author')