diff --git a/src/fn/delete-contacts.js b/src/fn/delete-contacts.js
index bcc48f20..87c7a1f2 100644
--- a/src/fn/delete-contacts.js
+++ b/src/fn/delete-contacts.js
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ const parseExtraArgs = (projectDir, extraArgs = []) => {
 
   return {
     sourceIds,
+    disableUsers: !!args['disable-users'],
     docDirectoryPath: path.resolve(projectDir, args.docDirectoryPath || 'json_docs'),
     force: !!args.force,
   };
diff --git a/src/fn/merge-contacts.js b/src/fn/merge-contacts.js
index 462b3693..41bae589 100644
--- a/src/fn/merge-contacts.js
+++ b/src/fn/merge-contacts.js
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ const parseExtraArgs = (projectDir, extraArgs = []) => {
   return {
     destinationId: args.destination,
     sourceIds,
+    disableUsers: !!args['disable-users'],
     docDirectoryPath: path.resolve(projectDir, args.docDirectoryPath || 'json_docs'),
     force: !!args.force,
   };
diff --git a/src/fn/upload-docs.js b/src/fn/upload-docs.js
index 5ff50f2e..2db6e1b3 100644
--- a/src/fn/upload-docs.js
+++ b/src/fn/upload-docs.js
@@ -37,10 +37,8 @@ async function execute() {
 
   warnAndPrompt(`This operation will permanently write ${totalCount} docs.  Are you sure you want to continue?`);
 
-  if (args['disable-users']) {
-    const deletedDocIds = analysis.map(result => result.delete).filter(Boolean);
-    await handleUsersAtDeletedFacilities(deletedDocIds);
-  }
+  const deletedDocIds = analysis.map(result => result.delete).filter(Boolean);
+  await handleUsersAtDeletedFacilities(deletedDocIds);
 
   const results = { ok:[], failed:{} };
   const progress = log.level > log.LEVEL_ERROR ? progressBar.init(totalCount, '{{n}}/{{N}} docs ', ' {{%}} {{m}}:{{s}}') : null;
@@ -128,6 +126,7 @@ async function handleUsersAtDeletedFacilities(deletedDocIds) {
   const affectedUsers = await getAffectedUsers(deletedDocIds);
   const usernames = affectedUsers.map(userDoc => userDoc.username).join(', ');
   if (affectedUsers.length === 0) {
+    trace('No deleted places with potential users found.');
     return;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/hierarchy-operations/delete-hierarchy.js b/src/lib/hierarchy-operations/delete-hierarchy.js
index 8ff88212..ec3cff7a 100644
--- a/src/lib/hierarchy-operations/delete-hierarchy.js
+++ b/src/lib/hierarchy-operations/delete-hierarchy.js
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ async function deleteHierarchy(db, options, sourceIds) {
 
     let affectedReportCount = 0;
     for (const descendant of descendantsAndSelf) {
-      JsDocs.deleteDoc(options, descendant, constraints.isPlace(descendant));
+      const toDeleteUsers = options.disableUsers && constraints.isPlace(descendant);
+      JsDocs.deleteDoc(options, descendant, toDeleteUsers);
       affectedReportCount += await deleteReportsForContact(db, options, descendant);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/hierarchy-operations/index.js b/src/lib/hierarchy-operations/index.js
index a3e4f889..21aacf8f 100644
--- a/src/lib/hierarchy-operations/index.js
+++ b/src/lib/hierarchy-operations/index.js
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@ async function moveHierarchy(db, options, sourceIds, destinationId) {
     };
 
     if (options.merge) {
-      JsDocs.deleteDoc(options, sourceDoc, constraints.isPlace(sourceDoc));
+      const toDeleteUsers = options.disableUsers && constraints.isPlace(sourceDoc);
+      JsDocs.deleteDoc(options, sourceDoc, toDeleteUsers);
     }
 
     const prettyPrintDocument = doc => `'${doc.name}' (${doc._id})`;
diff --git a/test/fn/merge-contacts.spec.js b/test/fn/merge-contacts.spec.js
index fbb8ec6f..a1b0d994 100644
--- a/test/fn/merge-contacts.spec.js
+++ b/test/fn/merge-contacts.spec.js
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ describe('merge-contacts', () => {
       expect(parseExtraArgs(__dirname, args)).to.deep.eq({
         sourceIds: ['food', 'is', 'tasty'],
         destinationId: 'bar',
+        disableUsers: false,
         force: true,
         docDirectoryPath: '/',
       });
diff --git a/test/lib/hierarchy-operations/hierarchy-operations.spec.js b/test/lib/hierarchy-operations/hierarchy-operations.spec.js
index a437ebf5..1c826804 100644
--- a/test/lib/hierarchy-operations/hierarchy-operations.spec.js
+++ b/test/lib/hierarchy-operations/hierarchy-operations.spec.js
@@ -664,7 +664,7 @@ describe('hierarchy-operations', () => {
       });
   
       // action 
-      await HierarchyOperations(pouchDb).merge(['district_2'], 'district_1');
+      await HierarchyOperations(pouchDb, { disableUsers: true }).merge(['district_2'], 'district_1');
   
       // assert
       expectWrittenDocs([
@@ -797,7 +797,7 @@ describe('hierarchy-operations', () => {
       });
   
       // action 
-      await HierarchyOperations(pouchDb).delete(['district_2']);
+      await HierarchyOperations(pouchDb, { disableUsers: true }).delete(['district_2']);
   
       // assert
       const deletedPlaces = [
@@ -818,6 +818,11 @@ describe('hierarchy-operations', () => {
       deletedNonPeople.forEach(id => expectDeleted(id, false));
     });
 
+    it('users at are not disabled when disableUsers: false', async () => {
+      await HierarchyOperations(pouchDb, { disableUsers: false }).delete(['district_2']);
+      expectDeleted('district_2', false);
+    });
+
     it('reports created by deleted contacts are not deleted', async () => {
       // setup
       await mockReport(pouchDb, {