diff --git a/.changelog/4231.txt b/.changelog/4231.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fe1bc95fd2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changelog/4231.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+```release-note:enhancement
+sql: added `deletion_policy` field to `google_sql_user` to enable abandoning users rather than deleting them
+```
diff --git a/google-beta/resource_sql_user.go b/google-beta/resource_sql_user.go
index 3e73ed17c3..f336872f43 100644
--- a/google-beta/resource_sql_user.go
+++ b/google-beta/resource_sql_user.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform-plugin-sdk/v2/helper/schema"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform-plugin-sdk/v2/helper/validation"
 	sqladmin "google.golang.org/api/sqladmin/v1beta4"
 )
 
@@ -65,6 +66,15 @@ func resourceSqlUser() *schema.Resource {
 				ForceNew:    true,
 				Description: `The ID of the project in which the resource belongs. If it is not provided, the provider project is used.`,
 			},
+
+			"deletion_policy": {
+				Type:     schema.TypeString,
+				Optional: true,
+				Description: `The deletion policy for the user. Setting ABANDON allows the resource
+				to be abandoned rather than deleted. This is useful for Postgres, where users cannot be deleted from the API if they
+				have been granted SQL roles. Possible values are: "ABANDON".`,
+				ValidateFunc: validation.StringInSlice([]string{"ABANDON", ""}, false),
+			},
 		},
 	}
 }
@@ -236,6 +246,13 @@ func resourceSqlUserUpdate(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) error {
 
 func resourceSqlUserDelete(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) error {
 	config := meta.(*Config)
+
+	if deletionPolicy := d.Get("deletion_policy"); deletionPolicy == "ABANDON" {
+		// Allows for user to be abandoned without deletion to avoid deletion failing
+		// for Postgres users in some circumstances due to existing SQL roles
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	userAgent, err := generateUserAgentString(d, config.userAgent)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
diff --git a/google-beta/resource_sql_user_test.go b/google-beta/resource_sql_user_test.go
index 641f3048fe..35cb14e912 100644
--- a/google-beta/resource_sql_user_test.go
+++ b/google-beta/resource_sql_user_test.go
@@ -78,6 +78,40 @@ func TestAccSqlUser_postgres(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
+func TestAccSqlUser_postgresAbandon(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	instance := fmt.Sprintf("i-%d", randInt(t))
+	userName := "admin"
+	vcrTest(t, resource.TestCase{
+		PreCheck:     func() { testAccPreCheck(t) },
+		Providers:    testAccProviders,
+		CheckDestroy: testAccSqlUserDestroyProducer(t),
+		Steps: []resource.TestStep{
+			{
+				Config: testGoogleSqlUser_postgresAbandon(instance, userName),
+				Check: resource.ComposeTestCheckFunc(
+					testAccCheckGoogleSqlUserExists(t, "google_sql_user.user"),
+				),
+			},
+			{
+				ResourceName:            "google_sql_user.user",
+				ImportStateId:           fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s/admin", getTestProjectFromEnv(), instance),
+				ImportState:             true,
+				ImportStateVerify:       true,
+				ImportStateVerifyIgnore: []string{"password", "deletion_policy"},
+			},
+			{
+				// Abandon user
+				Config: testGoogleSqlUser_postgresNoUser(instance),
+				Check: resource.ComposeTestCheckFunc(
+					testAccCheckGoogleSqlUserExistsWithName(t, instance, userName),
+				),
+			},
+		},
+	})
+}
+
 func testAccCheckGoogleSqlUserExists(t *testing.T, n string) resource.TestCheckFunc {
 	return func(s *terraform.State) error {
 		config := googleProviderConfig(t)
@@ -106,6 +140,27 @@ func testAccCheckGoogleSqlUserExists(t *testing.T, n string) resource.TestCheckF
 	}
 }
 
+func testAccCheckGoogleSqlUserExistsWithName(t *testing.T, instance, name string) resource.TestCheckFunc {
+	return func(s *terraform.State) error {
+		config := googleProviderConfig(t)
+
+		users, err := config.NewSqlAdminClient(config.userAgent).Users.List(config.Project,
+			instance).Do()
+
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		for _, user := range users.Items {
+			if user.Name == name {
+				return nil
+			}
+		}
+
+		return fmt.Errorf("Not found: User: %s in instance: %s: %s", name, instance, err)
+	}
+}
+
 func testAccSqlUserDestroyProducer(t *testing.T) func(s *terraform.State) error {
 	return func(s *terraform.State) error {
 		for _, rs := range s.RootModule().Resources {
@@ -180,3 +235,40 @@ resource "google_sql_user" "user" {
 }
 `, instance, password)
 }
+
+func testGoogleSqlUser_postgresAbandon(instance, name string) string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf(`
+resource "google_sql_database_instance" "instance" {
+  name             = "%s"
+  region           = "us-central1"
+  database_version = "POSTGRES_9_6"
+  deletion_protection = false
+
+  settings {
+    tier = "db-f1-micro"
+  }
+}
+
+resource "google_sql_user" "user" {
+  name     = "%s"
+  instance = google_sql_database_instance.instance.name
+  password = "password"
+  deletion_policy = "ABANDON"
+}
+`, instance, name)
+}
+
+func testGoogleSqlUser_postgresNoUser(instance string) string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf(`
+resource "google_sql_database_instance" "instance" {
+  name             = "%s"
+  region           = "us-central1"
+  database_version = "POSTGRES_9_6"
+  deletion_protection = false
+
+  settings {
+    tier = "db-f1-micro"
+  }
+}
+`, instance)
+}
diff --git a/website/docs/r/sql_user.html.markdown b/website/docs/r/sql_user.html.markdown
index 2aa161fada..234b584693 100644
--- a/website/docs/r/sql_user.html.markdown
+++ b/website/docs/r/sql_user.html.markdown
@@ -53,6 +53,12 @@ The following arguments are supported:
 * `password` - (Optional) The password for the user. Can be updated. For Postgres
     instances this is a Required field.
 
+* `deletion_policy` - (Optional) The deletion policy for the user.
+    Setting `ABANDON` allows the resource to be abandoned rather than deleted. This is useful
+    for Postgres, where users cannot be deleted from the API if they have been granted SQL roles.
+    
+    Possible values are: `ABANDON`.
+
 - - -
 
 * `host` - (Optional) The host the user can connect from. This is only supported