diff --git a/irc/accounts.go b/irc/accounts.go
index 032a724f..4487cb7f 100644
--- a/irc/accounts.go
+++ b/irc/accounts.go
@@ -358,29 +358,37 @@ func unmarshalReservedNicks(nicks string) (result []string) {
 	return strings.Split(nicks, ",")
 }
 
-func (am *AccountManager) SetNickReserved(client *Client, nick string, reserve bool) error {
+func (am *AccountManager) SetNickReserved(client *Client, nick string, saUnreserve bool, reserve bool) error {
 	cfnick, err := CasefoldName(nick)
-	if err != nil {
+	// garbage nick, or garbage options, or disabled
+	nrconfig := am.server.AccountConfig().NickReservation
+	if err != nil || cfnick == "" || (reserve && saUnreserve) || !nrconfig.Enabled {
 		return errAccountNickReservationFailed
 	}
 
-	// sanity check so we don't persist bad data
-	account := client.Account()
-	if account == "" || cfnick == "" || !am.server.AccountConfig().NickReservation.Enabled {
-		return errAccountNickReservationFailed
-	}
-
-	limit := am.server.AccountConfig().NickReservation.AdditionalNickLimit
-
+	// the cache is in sync with the DB while we hold serialCacheUpdateMutex
 	am.serialCacheUpdateMutex.Lock()
 	defer am.serialCacheUpdateMutex.Unlock()
 
-	// the cache is in sync with the DB while we hold serialCacheUpdateMutex
+	// find the affected account, which is usually the client's:
+	account := client.Account()
+	if saUnreserve {
+		// unless this is a sadrop:
+		account = am.NickToAccount(cfnick)
+		if account == "" {
+			// nothing to do
+			return nil
+		}
+	}
+	if account == "" {
+		return errAccountNotLoggedIn
+	}
+
 	accountForNick := am.NickToAccount(cfnick)
 	if reserve && accountForNick != "" {
 		return errNicknameReserved
-	} else if !reserve && accountForNick != account {
-		return errAccountNickReservationFailed
+	} else if !reserve && !saUnreserve && accountForNick != account {
+		return errNicknameReserved
 	} else if !reserve && cfnick == account {
 		return errAccountCantDropPrimaryNick
 	}
@@ -405,7 +413,7 @@ func (am *AccountManager) SetNickReserved(client *Client, nick string, reserve b
 		nicks := unmarshalReservedNicks(rawNicks)
 
 		if reserve {
-			if len(nicks) >= limit {
+			if len(nicks) >= nrconfig.AdditionalNickLimit {
 				return errAccountTooManyNicks
 			}
 			nicks = append(nicks, cfnick)
diff --git a/irc/nickserv.go b/irc/nickserv.go
index d3f61795..bb1cd0d7 100644
--- a/irc/nickserv.go
+++ b/irc/nickserv.go
@@ -90,7 +90,10 @@ func (server *Server) nickservPrivmsgHandler(client *Client, message string, rb
 		server.nickservGroupHandler(client, rb)
 	} else if command == "drop" {
 		nick, _ := extractParam(params)
-		server.nickservDropHandler(client, nick, rb)
+		server.nickservDropHandler(client, nick, false, rb)
+	} else if command == "sadrop" {
+		nick, _ := extractParam(params)
+		server.nickservDropHandler(client, nick, true, rb)
 	} else {
 		rb.Notice(client.t("Command not recognised. To see the available commands, run /NS HELP"))
 	}
@@ -294,13 +297,13 @@ func (server *Server) nickservGroupHandler(client *Client, rb *ResponseBuffer) {
 	}
 
 	nick := client.NickCasefolded()
-	err := server.accounts.SetNickReserved(client, nick, true)
+	err := server.accounts.SetNickReserved(client, nick, false, true)
 	if err == nil {
 		rb.Notice(fmt.Sprintf(client.t("Successfully grouped nick %s with your account"), nick))
 	} else if err == errAccountTooManyNicks {
 		rb.Notice(client.t("You have too many nicks reserved already (you can remove some with /NS DROP)"))
 	} else if err == errNicknameReserved {
-		rb.Notice(client.t("That nickname is already reserved"))
+		rb.Notice(client.t("That nickname is already reserved by someone else"))
 	} else {
 		rb.Notice(client.t("Error reserving nickname"))
 	}
@@ -334,20 +337,23 @@ func (server *Server) nickservInfoHandler(client *Client, nick string, rb *Respo
 	}
 }
 
-func (server *Server) nickservDropHandler(client *Client, nick string, rb *ResponseBuffer) {
-	account := client.Account()
-	if account == "" {
-		rb.Notice(client.t("You're not logged into an account"))
-		return
+func (server *Server) nickservDropHandler(client *Client, nick string, sadrop bool, rb *ResponseBuffer) {
+	if sadrop {
+		if !client.HasRoleCapabs("unregister") {
+			rb.Notice(client.t("Insufficient oper privs"))
+			return
+		}
 	}
 
-	err := server.accounts.SetNickReserved(client, nick, false)
+	err := server.accounts.SetNickReserved(client, nick, sadrop, false)
 	if err == nil {
 		rb.Notice(fmt.Sprintf(client.t("Successfully ungrouped nick %s with your account"), nick))
+	} else if err == errAccountNotLoggedIn {
+		rb.Notice(fmt.Sprintf(client.t("You're not logged into an account")))
 	} else if err == errAccountCantDropPrimaryNick {
 		rb.Notice(fmt.Sprintf(client.t("You can't ungroup your primary nickname (try unregistering your account instead)")))
-	} else if err == errAccountNickReservationFailed {
-		rb.Notice(fmt.Sprintf(client.t("You don't own that nick")))
+	} else if err == errNicknameReserved {
+		rb.Notice(fmt.Sprintf(client.t("That nickname is already reserved by someone else")))
 	} else {
 		rb.Notice(client.t("Error ungrouping nick"))
 	}