diff --git a/backend/windmill-api/src/drafts.rs b/backend/windmill-api/src/drafts.rs
index 5b47a06ec9..9d4976489b 100644
--- a/backend/windmill-api/src/drafts.rs
+++ b/backend/windmill-api/src/drafts.rs
@@ -276,7 +276,17 @@ async fn update_draft(
 ) -> Result<Json<SaveDraftResponse>> {
     let email = &authed.email;
     let path = path.to_path();
-    require_can_write_path(&authed, &db, &user_db, &w_id, kind, path).await?;
+    // Saving a draft requires write permission on the underlying path. Deleting
+    // (discarding) one's OWN draft does not: the email-scoped row belongs to the
+    // authed user, so they can always discard it even after losing write access
+    // to the underlying item (e.g. a draft-only item whose folder perms changed).
+    // The DELETE below is scoped to `email = authed.email`, so it can only ever
+    // touch the caller's own row. Legacy (NULL-email) rows aren't owned by anyone
+    // — they keep the write gate.
+    let is_own_discard = req.value.is_none() && !req.legacy;
+    if !is_own_discard {
+        require_can_write_path(&authed, &db, &user_db, &w_id, kind, path).await?;
+    }
 
     let applied_at = if let Some(value) = &req.value {
         // Secret variable values must never sit in `draft.value` in plaintext
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/CompareDrafts.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/components/CompareDrafts.svelte
index cc450a51fb..aca63e4b32 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/CompareDrafts.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/CompareDrafts.svelte
@@ -167,14 +167,23 @@
 		)
 	}
 
-	// Why a row can't be deployed/discarded (drives the disabled-checkbox tooltip
-	// and the Discard button's title). `undefined` ⇒ actionable.
+	// Why a row can't be deployed (drives the disabled-checkbox tooltip).
+	// `undefined` ⇒ actionable.
 	function blockedReason(item: Row): string | undefined {
 		if (!item.mine) return 'This draft belongs to another user'
 		if (!item.can_write) return "You don't have write permission on this path"
 		return undefined
 	}
 
+	// Why a row can't be discarded (drives the Discard button's title).
+	// Discarding only removes the caller's own draft row, which they always own,
+	// so — unlike deploy — it never requires write permission on the path. The
+	// only block is someone else's draft (view-only in the "all drafts" view).
+	function discardBlockedReason(item: Row): string | undefined {
+		if (!item.mine) return 'This draft belongs to another user'
+		return undefined
+	}
+
 	// The Draft Items list only carries the *deployed* summary, so the draft's
 	// (new) display name isn't known yet. Fetch each item's draft blob once and
 	// cache both names — mirrors CompareWorkspaces' fetchSummaries (eager on load,
@@ -628,7 +637,7 @@
 							</Button>
 						{/if}
 					{:else}
-						{@const discardBlock = blockedReason(draftItem)}
+						{@const discardBlock = discardBlockedReason(draftItem)}
 						<!-- Show diff fetches the *current user's* draft overlay, so it's only
 						     meaningful for your own/legacy rows. Another user's draft (view-only,
 						     `mine=false`) would diff against the wrong draft or 404 — hide it. -->
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/common/table/AppRow.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/components/common/table/AppRow.svelte
index 69f1e9bb33..f016fafd5c 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/common/table/AppRow.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/common/table/AppRow.svelte
@@ -211,7 +211,10 @@
 								}
 							},
 							type: 'delete',
-							disabled: !canEdit,
+							// A draft-only row is always the authed user's own draft (the
+							// list endpoint only surfaces own/legacy draft-only rows), so
+							// discarding it never requires write permission on the path.
+							disabled: !showEditButton,
 							hide: $userStore?.operator
 						},
 						{
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/common/table/FlowRow.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/components/common/table/FlowRow.svelte
index 2f31556d3a..89a08b412b 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/common/table/FlowRow.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/common/table/FlowRow.svelte
@@ -230,7 +230,10 @@
 								}
 							},
 							type: 'delete',
-							disabled: !owner,
+							// A draft-only row is always the authed user's own draft (the
+							// list endpoint only surfaces own/legacy draft-only rows), so
+							// discarding it never requires write permission on the path.
+							disabled: !showEditButton,
 							hide: $userStore?.operator
 						}
 					]
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/common/table/ScriptRow.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/components/common/table/ScriptRow.svelte
index fb31a6add7..1d87d4c8d5 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/common/table/ScriptRow.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/common/table/ScriptRow.svelte
@@ -296,7 +296,10 @@
 								}
 							},
 							type: dlt,
-							disabled: !canEdit
+							// A draft-only row is always the authed user's own draft (the
+							// list endpoint only surfaces own/legacy draft-only rows), so
+							// discarding it never requires write permission on the path.
+							disabled: !showEditButton
 						}
 					]
 				}