diff --git a/static/js/settings_org.js b/static/js/settings_org.js
index de719bb45e..5fe8b3fa76 100644
--- a/static/js/settings_org.js
+++ b/static/js/settings_org.js
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ exports.maybe_disable_widgets = function () {
 
     if (page_params.is_admin) {
         $("#deactivate_realm_button").attr("disabled", true);
+        $("#org-message-retention").find("input, select").attr("disabled", true);
         return;
     }
 
diff --git a/static/templates/settings/organization_settings_admin.hbs b/static/templates/settings/organization_settings_admin.hbs
index dd3f1ca9f7..13d34c03ba 100644
--- a/static/templates/settings/organization_settings_admin.hbs
+++ b/static/templates/settings/organization_settings_admin.hbs
@@ -150,7 +150,10 @@
 
             <div class="inline-block organization-settings-parent">
                 <div class="input-group">
-                    <label for="id_realm_message_retention_setting" class="dropdown-title">{{t "Message retention period" }}</label>
+                    <label for="id_realm_message_retention_setting" class="dropdown-title">{{t "Message retention period" }}
+                        <i class="fa fa-info-circle settings-info-icon realm_allow_message_deleting_tooltip" data-toggle="tooltip"
+                          aria-hidden="true" title="{{t 'Only owners can change message retention policy.' }}"></i>
+                    </label>
                     <select name="realm_message_retention_setting"
                       id="id_realm_message_retention_setting" class="prop-element"
                       {{#unless zulip_plan_is_not_limited}}disabled{{/unless}}>
diff --git a/templates/zerver/help/message-retention-policy.md b/templates/zerver/help/message-retention-policy.md
index 3a48f35126..8e004b55ce 100644
--- a/templates/zerver/help/message-retention-policy.md
+++ b/templates/zerver/help/message-retention-policy.md
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 # Message retention policy (beta)
 
+{!owner-only.md!}
+
 By default, Zulip stores messages indefinitely, allowing full-text
 search of your complete history.
 
diff --git a/zerver/tests/test_realm.py b/zerver/tests/test_realm.py
index b492534fd5..6eee9f1f1b 100644
--- a/zerver/tests/test_realm.py
+++ b/zerver/tests/test_realm.py
@@ -634,6 +634,12 @@ class RealmTest(ZulipTestCase):
         realm = get_realm('zulip')
         self.assertEqual(realm.plan_type, Realm.SELF_HOSTED)
 
+        req = dict(message_retention_days=ujson.dumps(10))
+        result = self.client_patch('/json/realm', req)
+        self.assert_json_error(result, "Only organization owners can change message retention period.")
+
+        self.login('desdemona')
+
         req = dict(message_retention_days=ujson.dumps(0))
         result = self.client_patch('/json/realm', req)
         self.assert_json_error(result, "Bad value for 'message_retention_days': 0")
@@ -666,7 +672,7 @@ class RealmAPITest(ZulipTestCase):
 
     def setUp(self) -> None:
         super().setUp()
-        self.login('iago')
+        self.login('desdemona')
 
     def set_up_db(self, attr: str, value: Any) -> None:
         realm = get_realm('zulip')
diff --git a/zerver/views/realm.py b/zerver/views/realm.py
index 6a43106ba6..657d09dc58 100644
--- a/zerver/views/realm.py
+++ b/zerver/views/realm.py
@@ -113,6 +113,8 @@ def update_realm(
             return json_error(_('Invalid domain: {}').format(e.messages[0]))
 
     if message_retention_days is not None:
+        if not user_profile.is_realm_owner:
+            return json_error(_("Only organization owners can change message retention period."))
         realm.ensure_not_on_limited_plan()
 
     # The user of `locals()` here is a bit of a code smell, but it's