diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/move-to-topic.js.es6 b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/move-to-topic.js.es6
index 5e47258f7c..9ca1b990df 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/move-to-topic.js.es6
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/move-to-topic.js.es6
@@ -66,10 +66,9 @@ export default Ember.Controller.extend(ModalFunctionality, {
     });
 
     const isPrivateMessage = this.get("model.isPrivateMessage");
-    const canSplitTopic = this.get("canSplitTopic");
     if (isPrivateMessage) {
-      this.set("selection", canSplitTopic ? "new_message" : "existing_message");
-    } else if (!canSplitTopic) {
+      this.set("selection", this.get("canSplitToPM") ? "new_message" : "existing_message");
+    } else if (!this.get("canSplitTopic")) {
       this.set("selection", "existing_topic");
       Ember.run.next(() => $("#choose-topic-title").focus());
     }
@@ -85,6 +84,11 @@ export default Ember.Controller.extend(ModalFunctionality, {
     );
   },
 
+  @computed("canSplitTopic")
+  canSplitToPM(canSplitTopic) {
+    return canSplitTopic && (this.currentUser && this.currentUser.admin);
+  },
+
   actions: {
     performMove() {
       this.get("moveTypes").forEach(type => {
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/modal/move-to-topic.hbs b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/modal/move-to-topic.hbs
index e268806e9b..3a0335af40 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/modal/move-to-topic.hbs
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/modal/move-to-topic.hbs
@@ -2,17 +2,17 @@
 
   {{#if model.isPrivateMessage}}
     <div class="radios">
-      {{#if canSplitTopic}}
+      {{#if canSplitToPM}}
         <label class="radio-label" for="move-to-new-message">
           {{radio-button id='move-to-new-message' name="move-to-entity" value="new_message" selection=selection}}
           <b>{{i18n 'topic.move_to_new_message.radio_label'}}</b>
         </label>
       {{/if}}
 
-        <label class="radio-label" for="move-to-existing-message">
-          {{radio-button id='move-to-existing-message' name="move-to-entity" value="existing_message" selection=selection}}
-          <b>{{i18n 'topic.move_to_existing_message.radio_label'}}</b>
-        </label>
+      <label class="radio-label" for="move-to-existing-message">
+        {{radio-button id='move-to-existing-message' name="move-to-entity" value="existing_message" selection=selection}}
+        <b>{{i18n 'topic.move_to_existing_message.radio_label'}}</b>
+      </label>
     </div>
 
     {{#if canSplitTopic}}
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@
         <b>{{i18n 'topic.merge_topic.radio_label'}}</b>
       </label>
 
-      {{#if canSplitTopic}}
+      {{#if canSplitToPM}}
         <label class="radio-label" for="move-to-new-message">
           {{radio-button id='move-to-new-message' name="move-to-entity" value="new_message" selection=selection}}
           <b>{{i18n 'topic.move_to_new_message.radio_label'}}</b>