diff --git a/crates/buzz-cli/src/commands/messages.rs b/crates/buzz-cli/src/commands/messages.rs
index ea273336e3..bef0c7e5f1 100644
--- a/crates/buzz-cli/src/commands/messages.rs
+++ b/crates/buzz-cli/src/commands/messages.rs
@@ -830,7 +830,7 @@ pub async fn cmd_delete_message(
     let channel_uuid = resolve_channel_id(client, event_id).await?;
     let target_eid = parse_event_id(event_id)?;
 
-    let builder = buzz_sdk::build_delete_message_with_options(
+    let builder = build_cli_delete_message(
         channel_uuid,
         target_eid,
         DeleteMessageOptions {
@@ -848,6 +848,24 @@ pub async fn cmd_delete_message(
     Ok(())
 }
 
+fn build_cli_delete_message(
+    channel_id: Uuid,
+    target_event_id: nostr::EventId,
+    options: DeleteMessageOptions<'_>,
+) -> Result<nostr::EventBuilder, buzz_sdk::SdkError> {
+    // Keep ordinary agent/member deletes aligned with Desktop's NIP-09 path.
+    // Any moderation metadata is an explicit opt-in to the audited kind:9005
+    // command and its visible room-facing tombstone.
+    if options.action_id.is_none()
+        && options.reason_code.is_none()
+        && options.public_reason.is_none()
+    {
+        buzz_sdk::build_delete_compat(channel_id, target_event_id)
+    } else {
+        buzz_sdk::build_delete_message_with_options(channel_id, target_event_id, options)
+    }
+}
+
 /// Edit a message you previously sent.
 pub async fn cmd_edit_message(
     client: &BuzzClient,
@@ -1056,8 +1074,8 @@ pub async fn dispatch(
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::{
-        channel_id_from_event, cmd_get_thread, event_mention_pubkeys, find_root_from_tags,
-        match_profiles_by_name, merge_message_mentions, missing_members,
+        build_cli_delete_message, channel_id_from_event, cmd_get_thread, event_mention_pubkeys,
+        find_root_from_tags, match_profiles_by_name, merge_message_mentions, missing_members,
         normalize_explicit_mentions, parse_member_pubkeys, resolve_names_to_pubkeys,
         resolve_thread_target, thread_ref_from_event, thread_ref_from_parent_tags, BuzzClient,
         CliError, Uuid,
@@ -1078,6 +1096,42 @@ mod tests {
     const PK_VALID_B: &str = "c6237ef84fa537c78dcee78efd2d4e59f728859c7f194da42ac51ededfa0be05";
     const PK_VALID_C: &str = "f4a42a97e594b77bdbd8ee35191c8b28a94a4cb871d96f32921558275421fb68";
 
+    #[test]
+    fn plain_cli_delete_uses_nip09_self_delete() {
+        let builder = build_cli_delete_message(
+            Uuid::nil(),
+            nostr::EventId::all_zeros(),
+            buzz_sdk::DeleteMessageOptions::default(),
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+        let event = builder.sign_with_keys(&Keys::generate()).unwrap();
+
+        assert_eq!(event.kind.as_u16(), 5);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn delete_with_moderation_metadata_keeps_audited_kind() {
+        let builder = build_cli_delete_message(
+            Uuid::nil(),
+            nostr::EventId::all_zeros(),
+            buzz_sdk::DeleteMessageOptions {
+                action_id: Some(Uuid::nil()),
+                reason_code: Some("spam"),
+                public_reason: Some("Removed as spam"),
+            },
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+        let event = builder.sign_with_keys(&Keys::generate()).unwrap();
+
+        assert_eq!(event.kind.as_u16(), 9005);
+        for tag_name in ["action_id", "reason_code", "public_reason"] {
+            assert!(event
+                .tags
+                .iter()
+                .any(|tag| tag.kind().to_string() == tag_name));
+        }
+    }
+
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn malformed_channel_is_rejected_before_thread_fetch() {
         let client =
diff --git a/crates/buzz-cli/src/lib.rs b/crates/buzz-cli/src/lib.rs
index 5cac8c941e..af1e5a8f0c 100644
--- a/crates/buzz-cli/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/buzz-cli/src/lib.rs
@@ -444,7 +444,10 @@ pub enum MessagesCmd {
         #[arg(long)]
         content: String,
     },
-    /// Delete a message by event ID
+    /// Delete a message by event ID.
+    ///
+    /// Plain deletes are NIP-09 self-deletes. Supplying moderation metadata
+    /// uses Buzz's audited moderation delete path instead.
     Delete {
         /// Event ID to delete (64-char hex)
         #[arg(long)]