diff --git a/lib/routes/admin-api/strategy.js b/lib/routes/admin-api/strategy.js
index 252aa585da..0bb8d7b7fc 100644
--- a/lib/routes/admin-api/strategy.js
+++ b/lib/routes/admin-api/strategy.js
@@ -85,14 +85,18 @@ class StrategyController extends Controller {
     async deprecateStrategy(req, res) {
         const userName = extractUser(req);
         const { strategyName } = req.params;
-        try {
-            await this.strategyService.deprecateStrategy(
-                strategyName,
-                userName,
-            );
-            res.status(200).end();
-        } catch (error) {
-            handleErrors(res, this.logger, error);
+        if (strategyName === 'default') {
+            res.status(403).end();
+        } else {
+            try {
+                await this.strategyService.deprecateStrategy(
+                    strategyName,
+                    userName,
+                );
+                res.status(200).end();
+            } catch (error) {
+                handleErrors(res, this.logger, error);
+            }
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/lib/routes/admin-api/strategy.test.js b/lib/routes/admin-api/strategy.test.js
index 2be10cdfd0..a99677ef51 100644
--- a/lib/routes/admin-api/strategy.test.js
+++ b/lib/routes/admin-api/strategy.test.js
@@ -248,3 +248,11 @@ test('reactivating a non-existent strategy yields 404', t => {
         .post(`${base}/api/admin/strategies/non-existent-strategy/reactivate`)
         .expect(404);
 });
+test(`deprecating 'default' strategy will yield 403`, t => {
+    t.plan(0);
+    const { request, base, perms } = getSetup();
+    perms.withPermissions(UPDATE_STRATEGY);
+    return request
+        .post(`${base}/api/admin/strategies/default/deprecate`)
+        .expect(403);
+});
diff --git a/test/e2e/api/admin/strategy.e2e.test.js b/test/e2e/api/admin/strategy.e2e.test.js
index f1e35cf112..d522928c16 100644
--- a/test/e2e/api/admin/strategy.e2e.test.js
+++ b/test/e2e/api/admin/strategy.e2e.test.js
@@ -166,3 +166,9 @@ test.serial('can reactivate a deprecated strategy', async t => {
         .expect(200)
         .expect(res => t.is(res.body.deprecated, false));
 });
+
+test.serial('cannot deprecate default strategy', async t => {
+    t.plan(0);
+    const request = await setupApp(stores);
+    await request.post('/api/admin/strategies/default/deprecate').expect(403);
+});