diff --git a/packages/entity/src/AuthorizationResultBasedEntityLoader.ts b/packages/entity/src/AuthorizationResultBasedEntityLoader.ts
index 42ea1a65..19ee1128 100644
--- a/packages/entity/src/AuthorizationResultBasedEntityLoader.ts
+++ b/packages/entity/src/AuthorizationResultBasedEntityLoader.ts
@@ -105,6 +105,16 @@ export default class AuthorizationResultBasedEntityLoader<
     return entityResultsForFieldValue!;
   }
 
+  /**
+   *
+   */
+  async loadOneOfManyByFieldEqualingAsync<N extends keyof Pick<TFields, TSelectedFields>>(
+    fieldName: N,
+    fieldValue: NonNullable<TFields[N]>,
+  ): Promise<Result<TEntity> | null> {
+    return null;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Load an entity where fieldName equals fieldValue, or null if no entity exists.
    * @param uniqueFieldName - entity field being queried
diff --git a/packages/entity/src/EntityFieldDefinition.ts b/packages/entity/src/EntityFieldDefinition.ts
index 74dbcf2c..f9aea27c 100644
--- a/packages/entity/src/EntityFieldDefinition.ts
+++ b/packages/entity/src/EntityFieldDefinition.ts
@@ -36,6 +36,10 @@ export enum EntityEdgeDeletionBehavior {
   SET_NULL,
 }
 
+export enum EntityEdgeDeletionPermissionInferenceBehavior {
+  ALLOW_SINGLE_ENTITY_INDUCTION,
+}
+
 /**
  * Defines an association between entities. An association is primarily used to define cascading deletion behavior.
  */
@@ -93,6 +97,14 @@ export interface EntityAssociationDefinition<
    *   integrity is recommended.
    */
   edgeDeletionBehavior: EntityEdgeDeletionBehavior;
+
+  /**
+   * Edge deletion behavior cascading permission inferrence.
+   *
+   * Used for canViewerDeleteAsync to optimize permission checks for edge cascading deletions (and set nulls).
+   * Not yet used for actual deletions as a safety precaution.
+   */
+  edgeDeletionPermissionInferenceBehavior?: EntityEdgeDeletionPermissionInferenceBehavior;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/packages/entity/src/utils/EntityPrivacyUtils.ts b/packages/entity/src/utils/EntityPrivacyUtils.ts
index 4155acd3..c4684cb5 100644
--- a/packages/entity/src/utils/EntityPrivacyUtils.ts
+++ b/packages/entity/src/utils/EntityPrivacyUtils.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
-import { asyncResult } from '@expo/results';
+import { Result, asyncResult } from '@expo/results';
 
 import Entity, { IEntityClass } from '../Entity';
-import { EntityEdgeDeletionBehavior } from '../EntityFieldDefinition';
+import {
+  EntityEdgeDeletionBehavior,
+  EntityEdgeDeletionPermissionInferenceBehavior,
+} from '../EntityFieldDefinition';
 import { EntityCascadingDeletionInfo } from '../EntityMutationInfo';
 import EntityPrivacyPolicy from '../EntityPrivacyPolicy';
 import { EntityQueryContext } from '../EntityQueryContext';
@@ -254,16 +257,39 @@ async function canViewerDeleteInternalAsync<
         continue;
       }
 
-      const entityResultsForInboundEdge = await loader
-        .withAuthorizationResults()
-        .loadManyByFieldEqualingAsync(
-          fieldName,
-          association.associatedEntityLookupByField
-            ? sourceEntity.getField(association.associatedEntityLookupByField as any)
-            : sourceEntity.getID(),
-        );
+      const edgeDeletionPermissionInferenceBehavior =
+        association.edgeDeletionPermissionInferenceBehavior;
 
-      const failedEntityLoadResults = failedResults(entityResultsForInboundEdge);
+      let entityResultsToCheckForInboundEdge: readonly Result<any>[];
+
+      if (
+        edgeDeletionPermissionInferenceBehavior ===
+        EntityEdgeDeletionPermissionInferenceBehavior.ALLOW_SINGLE_ENTITY_INDUCTION
+      ) {
+        const singleEntityToTestForInboundEdge = await loader
+          .withAuthorizationResults()
+          .loadOneOfManyByFieldEqualingAsync(
+            fieldName,
+            association.associatedEntityLookupByField
+              ? sourceEntity.getField(association.associatedEntityLookupByField as any)
+              : sourceEntity.getID(),
+          );
+        entityResultsToCheckForInboundEdge = singleEntityToTestForInboundEdge
+          ? [singleEntityToTestForInboundEdge]
+          : [];
+      } else {
+        const entityResultsForInboundEdge = await loader
+          .withAuthorizationResults()
+          .loadManyByFieldEqualingAsync(
+            fieldName,
+            association.associatedEntityLookupByField
+              ? sourceEntity.getField(association.associatedEntityLookupByField as any)
+              : sourceEntity.getID(),
+          );
+        entityResultsToCheckForInboundEdge = entityResultsForInboundEdge;
+      }
+
+      const failedEntityLoadResults = failedResults(entityResultsToCheckForInboundEdge);
       for (const failedResult of failedEntityLoadResults) {
         if (failedResult.reason instanceof EntityNotAuthorizedError) {
           return false;
@@ -273,7 +299,9 @@ async function canViewerDeleteInternalAsync<
       }
 
       // all results should be success at this point due to check above
-      const entitiesForInboundEdge = entityResultsForInboundEdge.map((r) => r.enforceValue());
+      const entitiesForInboundEdge = entityResultsToCheckForInboundEdge.map((r) =>
+        r.enforceValue(),
+      );
 
       switch (association.edgeDeletionBehavior) {
         case EntityEdgeDeletionBehavior.CASCADE_DELETE: