diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/user_controller.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/user_controller.js
index 2b56d4bfab5..4cbc4837f14 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/user_controller.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/user_controller.js
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ Discourse.UserController = Discourse.ObjectController.extend({
   }).property('content.username', 'Discourse.currentUser.username'),
 
   canSeePrivateMessages: (function() {
-    return this.get('viewingSelf') || Discourse.get('currentUser.moderator');
+    return this.get('viewingSelf') || Discourse.get('currentUser.staff');
   }).property('viewingSelf', 'Discourse.currentUser')
 
 });
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/header.js.handlebars b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/header.js.handlebars
index 6f0f7284abb..4726c274394 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/header.js.handlebars
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/header.js.handlebars
@@ -65,26 +65,18 @@
 
       <section class='d-dropdown' id='site-map-dropdown'>
       <ul>
-        {{#if Discourse.currentUser.moderator}}
-          <li><a href="/admin"><i class='icon-cog'></i>{{i18n admin_title}}</a></li>
-          <li><a href="/admin/flags/active"><i class='icon-flag'></i>{{i18n flags_title}}</a></li>
+        {{#if Discourse.currentUser.staff}}
+          <li><a href="/admin"><i class='icon icon-cog'></i>{{i18n admin_title}}</a></li>
+          <li><a href="/admin/flags/active"><i class='icon icon-flag'></i>{{i18n flags_title}}</a>
+          {{#if view.currentUser.site_flagged_posts_count}}
+            <a href='/admin/flags/active' title='{{i18n notifications.total_flagged}}' class='badge-notification flagged-posts'>{{view.currentUser.site_flagged_posts_count}}</a>
+          {{/if}}
+          </li>
         {{/if}}
         <li>
           {{#titledLinkTo "list.latest" titleKey="filters.latest.help"}}{{i18n filters.latest.title}}{{/titledLinkTo}}
         </li>
         <li>{{#linkTo 'faq'}}{{i18n faq}}{{/linkTo}}</li>
-        {{#if Discourse.currentUser.admin}}
-          <li title="{{i18n filters.favorited.help}}">
-            {{#linkTo "list.favorited"}}
-              <i class='icon-star'></i>{{i18n filters.favorited.title}}
-            {{/linkTo}}
-          </li>
-          <li title="{{i18n filters.read.help}}">
-            {{#linkTo "list.read"}}
-              <i class='icon-bookmark'></i>{{i18n filters.read.title}}
-            {{/linkTo}}
-          </li>
-        {{/if}}
         {{#if view.categories}}
           <li class='heading' title="{{i18n filters.categories.help}}">
             {{#linkTo "list.categories"}}{{i18n filters.categories.title}}{{/linkTo}}
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/user/user.js.handlebars b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/user/user.js.handlebars
index d74d70414f8..6ff78bba71a 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/user/user.js.handlebars
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/user/user.js.handlebars
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
       {{#if viewingSelf}}
         <button {{action "logout" target="Discourse"}} class='btn'>{{i18n user.log_out}}</button>
       {{/if}}
-      {{#if Discourse.currentUser.moderator}}
+      {{#if Discourse.currentUser.staff}}
         <a href="{{unbound content.adminPath}}" class='btn'><i class="icon-wrench"></i>&nbsp;{{i18n admin.user.show_admin_profile}}</a>
       {{/if}}
       <ul class="nav nav-pills">
diff --git a/app/assets/stylesheets/application/header.css.scss b/app/assets/stylesheets/application/header.css.scss
index 499b287de92..7adec65b73e 100644
--- a/app/assets/stylesheets/application/header.css.scss
+++ b/app/assets/stylesheets/application/header.css.scss
@@ -129,9 +129,9 @@
       left: -4px;
       background-color: #00953A;
     }
-    .flagged-posts {
-      background-color: #E53B2E;
-    }
+  }
+  .flagged-posts {
+    background-color: #E53B2E;
   }
 }
 
@@ -170,6 +170,9 @@
     padding: 5px;
     font-size: 13px;
     line-height: 16px;
+    .icon {
+      margin-right: 3px;
+    }
   }
   .heading {
     border-top: 1px solid #c5c5c5;
diff --git a/app/controllers/admin/admin_controller.rb b/app/controllers/admin/admin_controller.rb
index 622ae0af1cd..77d12479cf2 100644
--- a/app/controllers/admin/admin_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/admin/admin_controller.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 class Admin::AdminController < ApplicationController
 
   before_filter :ensure_logged_in
-  before_filter :ensure_is_moderator
+  before_filter :ensure_staff
 
   def index
     render nothing: true
@@ -9,8 +9,9 @@ class Admin::AdminController < ApplicationController
 
   protected
 
-    def ensure_is_moderator
-      raise Discourse::InvalidAccess.new unless current_user.moderator?
-    end
+  # this is not really necessary cause the routes are secure
+  def ensure_staff
+    raise Discourse::InvalidAccess.new unless current_user.staff?
+  end
 
 end
diff --git a/app/helpers/application_helper.rb b/app/helpers/application_helper.rb
index 1f0dced370d..4377e8a4a1a 100644
--- a/app/helpers/application_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/application_helper.rb
@@ -38,6 +38,10 @@ module ApplicationHelper
     current_user.try(:moderator?)
   end
 
+  def staff?
+    current_user.try(:staff?)
+  end
+
   # Creates open graph and twitter card meta data
   def crawlable_meta_data(opts=nil)
 
diff --git a/app/models/post_action.rb b/app/models/post_action.rb
index 4b2f2773779..789d33c0f59 100644
--- a/app/models/post_action.rb
+++ b/app/models/post_action.rb
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ class PostAction < ActiveRecord::Base
                                            'topics.deleted_at' => nil).count('DISTINCT posts.id')
 
     $redis.set('posts_flagged_count', posts_flagged_count)
-    user_ids = User.where("admin = 't' or moderator = 't'").select(:id).map {|u| u.id}
+    user_ids = User.staff.select(:id).map {|u| u.id}
     MessageBus.publish('/flagged_counts', { total: posts_flagged_count }, { user_ids: user_ids })
   end
 
diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index e8f12a8d25d..e590937fddc 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ class User < ActiveRecord::Base
 
   scope :admins, ->{ where(admin: true) }
   scope :moderators, ->{ where(moderator: true) }
+  scope :staff, ->{ where("moderator = 't' or admin = 't'") }
 
   module NewTopicDuration
     ALWAYS = -1
@@ -267,10 +268,8 @@ class User < ActiveRecord::Base
     User.select(:username).order('last_posted_at desc').limit(20)
   end
 
-  def moderator?
-    # this saves us from checking both, admins are always moderators
-    #
-    # in future we may split this out
+  # any user that is either a moderator or an admin
+  def staff?
     admin || moderator
   end
 
diff --git a/app/models/user_action.rb b/app/models/user_action.rb
index 8c4cdcc8dee..20299bf79ab 100644
--- a/app/models/user_action.rb
+++ b/app/models/user_action.rb
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ LEFT JOIN categories c on c.id = t.category_id
       builder.where("t.archetype != :archetype", archetype: Archetype::private_message)
     end
 
-    unless guardian.is_moderator?
+    unless guardian.is_staff?
       allowed = guardian.secure_category_ids
       if allowed.present?
         builder.where("( c.secure IS NULL OR
diff --git a/app/serializers/current_user_serializer.rb b/app/serializers/current_user_serializer.rb
index 45f0ef9c11b..2f0c3be790f 100644
--- a/app/serializers/current_user_serializer.rb
+++ b/app/serializers/current_user_serializer.rb
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ class CurrentUserSerializer < BasicUserSerializer
              :notification_channel_position,
              :site_flagged_posts_count,
              :moderator?,
+             :staff?,
              :reply_count,
              :topic_count,
              :enable_quoting,
@@ -15,15 +16,8 @@ class CurrentUserSerializer < BasicUserSerializer
 
   # we probably want to move this into site, but that json is cached so hanging it off current user seems okish
 
-  def moderator
-    # TODO we probably want better terminology
-    #
-    # we have admins / moderators and users who are either moderators or admins denoted by moderator?
-    object.moderator?
-  end
-
   def include_site_flagged_posts_count?
-    object.moderator?
+    object.staff?
   end
 
   def topic_count
@@ -34,10 +28,6 @@ class CurrentUserSerializer < BasicUserSerializer
     object.posts.where("post_number > 1").count
   end
 
-  def moderator?
-    object.moderator?
-  end
-
   def site_flagged_posts_count
     PostAction.flagged_posts_count
   end
diff --git a/app/serializers/post_serializer.rb b/app/serializers/post_serializer.rb
index 18f581adb81..1c9efb37727 100755
--- a/app/serializers/post_serializer.rb
+++ b/app/serializers/post_serializer.rb
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ class PostSerializer < ApplicationSerializer
   end
 
   def cooked
-    if object.hidden && !scope.is_moderator?
+    if object.hidden && !scope.is_staff?
       if scope.current_user && object.user_id == scope.current_user.id
         I18n.t('flagging.you_must_edit')
       else
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ class PostSerializer < ApplicationSerializer
 
       # The following only applies if you're logged in
       if action_summary[:can_act] && scope.current_user.present?
-        action_summary[:can_clear_flags] = scope.is_moderator? && PostActionType.flag_types.values.include?(id)
+        action_summary[:can_clear_flags] = scope.is_staff? && PostActionType.flag_types.values.include?(id)
       end
 
       if post_actions.present? && post_actions.has_key?(id)
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ class PostSerializer < ApplicationSerializer
       end
 
       # anonymize flags
-      if !scope.is_moderator? && PostActionType.flag_types.values.include?(id)
+      if !scope.is_staff? && PostActionType.flag_types.values.include?(id)
         action_summary[:count] = action_summary[:acted] ? 1 : 0
       end
 
diff --git a/app/views/common/_discourse_javascript.html.erb b/app/views/common/_discourse_javascript.html.erb
index 883d4c6cdb9..e4b4f4d87ca 100644
--- a/app/views/common/_discourse_javascript.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/common/_discourse_javascript.html.erb
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 <%# load the selected locale before any other scripts %>
 <%= javascript_include_tag "locales/#{I18n.locale}" %>
 <%= javascript_include_tag "application" %>
-<%- if moderator? %>
+<%- if staff? %>
   <%= javascript_include_tag "admin"%>
 <%- end %>
 
diff --git a/app/views/common/_discourse_stylesheet.html.erb b/app/views/common/_discourse_stylesheet.html.erb
index cca9c1ebebf..3c8b93a4e48 100644
--- a/app/views/common/_discourse_stylesheet.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/common/_discourse_stylesheet.html.erb
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   <%=stylesheet_link_tag "application"%>
 <%- end %>
 
-<%- if moderator? %>
+<%- if staff? %>
   <%= stylesheet_link_tag "admin"%>
 <%-end%>
 <%=SiteCustomization.custom_stylesheet(session[:preview_style])%>
diff --git a/config/routes.rb b/config/routes.rb
index 181cdeb4ae5..c384557c1bd 100644
--- a/config/routes.rb
+++ b/config/routes.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 require 'sidekiq/web'
 
 require_dependency 'admin_constraint'
-require_dependency 'moderator_constraint'
+require_dependency 'staff_constraint'
 require_dependency 'homepage_constraint'
 
 # This used to be User#username_format, but that causes a preload of the User object
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ Discourse::Application.routes.draw do
   end
   get 'srv/status' => 'forums#status'
 
-  namespace :admin, constraints: ModeratorConstraint.new do
+  namespace :admin, constraints: StaffConstraint.new do
     get '' => 'admin#index'
 
     resources :site_settings, constraints: AdminConstraint.new
diff --git a/lib/guardian.rb b/lib/guardian.rb
index 7679a6b2daa..4488b395ab1 100644
--- a/lib/guardian.rb
+++ b/lib/guardian.rb
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ class Guardian
     @user && @user.admin?
   end
 
-  def is_moderator?
-    @user && @user.moderator?
+  def is_staff?
+    @user && @user.staff?
   end
 
   # Can the user see the object?
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ class Guardian
   def can_moderate?(obj)
     return false if obj.blank?
     return false if @user.blank?
-    @user.moderator?
+    @user.staff?
   end
   alias :can_move_posts? :can_moderate?
   alias :can_see_flags? :can_moderate?
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ class Guardian
     return false if target.blank?
     return false if @user.blank?
     return false if target.approved?
-    @user.moderator?
+    @user.staff?
   end
 
   def can_ban?(user)
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ class Guardian
   def can_clear_flags?(post)
     return false if @user.blank?
     return false if post.blank?
-    @user.moderator?
+    @user.staff?
   end
 
   def can_revoke_admin?(admin)
@@ -136,32 +136,30 @@ class Guardian
   end
 
   def can_revoke_moderation?(moderator)
-    return false unless @user.try(:admin?)
+    return false unless is_admin?
     return false if moderator.blank?
     return false if @user.id == moderator.id
-    return false unless moderator.moderator?
     true
   end
 
   def can_grant_moderation?(user)
-    return false unless @user.try(:admin?)
+    return false unless is_admin? 
     return false if user.blank?
     return false if @user.id == user.id
-    return false if user.admin?
-    return false if user.moderator?
+    return false if user.staff?
     true
   end
 
   def can_delete_user?(user_to_delete)
-    return false unless @user.try(:admin?)
-    return false if user_to_delete.blank?
+    return false unless is_admin?
+    return false unless user_to_delete
     return false if user_to_delete.post_count > 0
     true
   end
 
   # Can we see who acted on a post in a particular way?
   def can_see_post_actors?(topic, post_action_type_id)
-    return false unless topic.present?
+    return false unless topic
 
     type_symbol = PostActionType.types[post_action_type_id]
     return false if type_symbol == :bookmark
@@ -178,37 +176,36 @@ class Guardian
   # Support sites that have to approve users
   def can_access_forum?
     return true unless SiteSetting.must_approve_users?
-    return false if user.blank?
+    return false unless @user
 
-    # Admins can't lock themselves out of a site
-    return true if user.admin?
+    # Staff can't lock themselves out of a site
+    return true if is_staff?
 
-    user.approved?
+    @user.approved?
   end
 
   def can_see_pending_invites_from?(user)
-    return false if user.blank?
-    return false if @user.blank?
+    return false unless user && @user
     return user == @user
   end
 
   # For now, can_invite_to is basically can_see?
   def can_invite_to?(object)
-    return false if @user.blank?
+    return false unless @user
     return false unless can_see?(object)
     return false if SiteSetting.must_approve_users?
-    @user.has_trust_level?(:regular) || @user.moderator?
+    @user.has_trust_level?(:regular) || @user.staff?
   end
 
 
   def can_see_deleted_posts?
-    return true if is_admin?
+    return true if is_staff?
     false
   end
 
   def can_see_private_messages?(user_id)
-    return true if is_moderator?
-    return false if @user.blank?
+    return true if is_staff?
+    return false unless @user
     @user.id == user_id
   end
 
@@ -240,11 +237,11 @@ class Guardian
 
   # Creating Methods
   def can_create_category?(parent)
-    @user.moderator?
+    is_staff?
   end
 
   def can_create_post_on_topic?(topic)
-    return true if @user.moderator?
+    return true if is_staff?
     return false if topic.closed?
     return false if topic.archived?
     true
@@ -252,22 +249,22 @@ class Guardian
 
   # Editing Methods
   def can_edit_category?(category)
-    @user.moderator?
+    is_staff?
   end
 
   def can_edit_post?(post)
-    return true if @user.moderator?
+    return true if is_staff?
     return false if post.topic.archived?
     (post.user == @user)
   end
 
   def can_edit_user?(user)
     return true if user == @user
-    @user.moderator?
+    is_staff?
   end
 
   def can_edit_topic?(topic)
-    return true if @user.moderator?
+    return true if is_staff?
     return true if topic.user == @user
     false
   end
@@ -280,22 +277,22 @@ class Guardian
     # You can delete your own posts
     return !post.user_deleted? if post.user == @user
 
-    @user.moderator?
+    is_staff?
   end
 
   # Recovery Method
   def can_recover_post?(post)
-    return false if @user.blank?
-    @user.moderator?
+    return false unless @user
+    is_staff?
   end
 
   def can_delete_category?(category)
-    return false unless @user.moderator?
+    return false unless is_staff?
     return category.topic_count == 0
   end
 
   def can_delete_topic?(topic)
-    return false unless @user.moderator?
+    return false unless is_staff?
     return false if Category.exists?(topic_id: topic.id)
     true
   end
@@ -313,7 +310,7 @@ class Guardian
 
   def can_send_private_message?(target)
     return false unless User === target || Group === target
-    return false if @user.blank?
+    return false unless @user
 
     # Can't send message to yourself
     return false if User === target && @user.id == target.id
@@ -325,8 +322,8 @@ class Guardian
   end
 
   def can_reply_as_new_topic?(topic)
-    return false if @user.blank?
-    return false if topic.blank?
+    return false unless @user
+    return false unless topic
     return false if topic.private_message?
 
     @user.has_trust_level?(:basic)
@@ -335,7 +332,7 @@ class Guardian
   def can_see_topic?(topic)
     return false unless topic
 
-    return true if @user && @user.moderator?
+    return true if @user && is_staff?
     return false if topic.deleted_at
 
     if topic.category && topic.category.secure
@@ -353,7 +350,7 @@ class Guardian
   def can_see_post?(post)
     return false unless post
 
-    return true if @user && @user.moderator?
+    return true if @user && is_staff?
     return false if post.deleted_at.present?
 
     can_see_topic?(post.topic)
diff --git a/lib/rate_limiter.rb b/lib/rate_limiter.rb
index a8df3321844..3c027294eaa 100644
--- a/lib/rate_limiter.rb
+++ b/lib/rate_limiter.rb
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ class RateLimiter
 
   def can_perform?
     return true if RateLimiter.disabled?
-    return true if @user.moderator?
+    return true if @user.staff?
 
     result = $redis.get(@key)
     return true if result.blank?
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ class RateLimiter
 
   def performed!
     return if RateLimiter.disabled?
-    return if @user.moderator?
+    return if @user.staff?
 
     result = $redis.incr(@key).to_i
     $redis.expire(@key, @secs) if result == 1
diff --git a/lib/moderator_constraint.rb b/lib/staff_constraint.rb
similarity index 90%
rename from lib/moderator_constraint.rb
rename to lib/staff_constraint.rb
index 86edbc056c6..95ec8287b2d 100644
--- a/lib/moderator_constraint.rb
+++ b/lib/staff_constraint.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 require_dependency 'current_user'
 
-class ModeratorConstraint
+class StaffConstraint
 
   def matches?(request)
     return false unless request.session[:current_user_id].present?
diff --git a/lib/topic_view.rb b/lib/topic_view.rb
index b5f01fd585b..bcd89d9c885 100644
--- a/lib/topic_view.rb
+++ b/lib/topic_view.rb
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ class TopicView
     @limit = options[:limit] || SiteSetting.posts_per_page;
 
     @filtered_posts = @topic.posts
-    @filtered_posts = @filtered_posts.with_deleted if user.try(:admin?)
+    @filtered_posts = @filtered_posts.with_deleted if user.try(:staff?)
     @filtered_posts = @filtered_posts.best_of if options[:best_of].present?
 
     if options[:username_filters].present?
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ class TopicView
                  .includes(:user)
                  .includes(:reply_to_user)
                  .order('sort_order')
-    @posts = @posts.with_deleted if @user.try(:admin?)
+    @posts = @posts.with_deleted if @user.try(:staff?)
 
     @posts
   end
diff --git a/spec/models/user_spec.rb b/spec/models/user_spec.rb
index b4b6dfcfbaa..b83513ff538 100644
--- a/spec/models/user_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/user_spec.rb
@@ -311,9 +311,9 @@ describe User do
         user.has_trust_level?(:elder).should be_true
       end
 
-      it "is a moderator if the user is an admin" do
+      it "is staff if the user is an admin" do
         user.admin = true
-        user.moderator?.should be_true
+        user.staff?.should be_true
       end
 
     end