diff --git a/CHANGELOG.rst b/CHANGELOG.rst
index ae320716..efd994f2 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.rst
+++ b/CHANGELOG.rst
@@ -18,6 +18,15 @@ Unreleased
 * Fix: Set default value for ``pinned`` field on ``CommentThread`` to ``False``
   to prevent NULL sort bug.
 
+0.4.4 - 2025-10-21
+******************
+
+Fixed
+-----
+
+* Do not modify LMS users during retirement — this is handled by the LMS retirement pipeline.
+* Ignore missing users during retirement.
+
 [0.4.0] – 2026-03-12
 *********************
 
diff --git a/forum/__init__.py b/forum/__init__.py
index 15fb549a..63ea5f32 100644
--- a/forum/__init__.py
+++ b/forum/__init__.py
@@ -2,4 +2,4 @@
 Openedx forum app.
 """
 
-__version__ = "0.4.3"
+__version__ = "0.4.4"
diff --git a/forum/api/users.py b/forum/api/users.py
index 8355f8d3..82c5d716 100644
--- a/forum/api/users.py
+++ b/forum/api/users.py
@@ -134,15 +134,8 @@ def retire_user(
     backend = get_backend(course_id)()
     user = backend.get_user(user_id)
     if not user:
-        raise ForumV2RequestError(f"user not found with id: {user_id}")
-    backend.update_user(
-        user_id,
-        data={
-            "email": "",
-            "username": retired_username,
-            "read_states": [],
-        },
-    )
+        return {"message": f"User not found with id: {user_id}"}
+    backend.update_user(user_id, {"read_states": []})
     backend.unsubscribe_all(user_id)
     backend.retire_all_content(user_id, retired_username)
 
diff --git a/tests/e2e/test_users.py b/tests/e2e/test_users.py
index de1119e2..e64ec610 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/test_users.py
+++ b/tests/e2e/test_users.py
@@ -685,6 +685,8 @@ def test_retire_user_inactive(api_client: APIClient, patched_get_backend: Any) -
     backend = patched_get_backend()
     user_id = backend.find_or_create_user(user_id="1", username="user1")
     user = backend.get_user(user_id) or {}
+    original_username = user["username"]
+    original_email = user["email"]
 
     # Verify user is not subscribed to any threads
     response = api_client.get_json(
@@ -709,9 +711,10 @@ def test_retire_user_inactive(api_client: APIClient, patched_get_backend: Any) -
     )
     assert response.status_code == 200
 
+    # Retiring user in the forum backend should not touch LMS User model.
     user = backend.get_user(user_id) or {}
-    assert user["username"] == retired_username
-    assert user["email"] == ""
+    assert user["username"] == original_username
+    assert user["email"] == original_email
 
     content = backend.get_user_contents_by_username(retired_username)
     assert len(content) == 0
diff --git a/tests/test_views/test_users.py b/tests/test_views/test_users.py
index 9cdfaf62..dfbc1abd 100644
--- a/tests/test_views/test_users.py
+++ b/tests/test_views/test_users.py
@@ -393,7 +393,11 @@ def test_attempts_to_retire_user_without_sending_retired_username(
 def test_attempts_to_retire_non_existent_user(
     api_client: APIClient, patched_get_backend: Any
 ) -> None:
-    """Test retire non-existent user."""
+    """
+    Test retire non-existent user.
+
+    Retiring a non-existent user should return 200, since the user can be considered already retired.
+    """
     backend = patched_get_backend
     user_id = backend.generate_id()
     retired_username = "retired_user_test"
@@ -401,7 +405,7 @@ def test_attempts_to_retire_non_existent_user(
         f"/api/v2/users/{user_id}/retire",
         data={"retired_username": retired_username},
     )
-    assert response.status_code == 400
+    assert response.status_code == 200
 
 
 def test_retire_user(api_client: APIClient, patched_get_backend: Any) -> None:
@@ -416,6 +420,7 @@ def test_retire_user(api_client: APIClient, patched_get_backend: Any) -> None:
     setup_10_threads(user_id, username, backend)
     retired_username = "retired_username_ABCD1234"
     user = backend.get_user(user_id)
+    email = user["email"]
     assert user
     assert user["username"] == username
 
@@ -426,8 +431,11 @@ def test_retire_user(api_client: APIClient, patched_get_backend: Any) -> None:
     assert response.status_code == 200
     user = backend.get_user(user_id)
     assert user
-    assert user["username"] == retired_username
-    assert user["email"] == ""
+
+    # Retiring user in the forum backend should not touch LMS User model.
+    assert user["username"] == username
+    assert user["email"] == email
+
     contents = list(backend.get_contents(author_id=user_id))
     assert len(contents) > 0
     for content in contents:
@@ -454,6 +462,7 @@ def test_retire_user_with_subscribed_threads(
     setup_10_threads(user_id, username, backend)
     retired_username = "retired_username_ABCD1234"
     user = backend.get_user(user_id)
+    email = user["email"]
     assert user
     assert user["username"] == username
     thread_id = backend.create_thread(
@@ -483,8 +492,11 @@ def test_retire_user_with_subscribed_threads(
 
     user = backend.get_user(user_id)
     assert user
-    assert user["username"] == retired_username
-    assert user["email"] == ""
+
+    # Retiring user in the forum backend should not touch LMS User model.
+    assert user["username"] == username
+    assert user["email"] == email
+
     # User should be subscribed to no threads.
     response = api_client.get(
         f"/api/v2/users/{user_id}/subscribed_threads?course_id=course1",