diff --git a/admin/tool/dataprivacy/classes/api.php b/admin/tool/dataprivacy/classes/api.php
index 9f1177f0ce0..2c18ac713d0 100644
--- a/admin/tool/dataprivacy/classes/api.php
+++ b/admin/tool/dataprivacy/classes/api.php
@@ -1087,12 +1087,16 @@ class api {
 
         // Create the approved contextlist collection object.
         $approvedcollection = new contextlist_collection($collection->get_userid());
+        $isconfigured = data_registry::defaults_set();
 
         foreach ($collection as $contextlist) {
             $contextids = [];
             foreach ($contextlist as $context) {
-                if (self::DATAREQUEST_TYPE_DELETE == $type) {
+                if ($isconfigured && self::DATAREQUEST_TYPE_DELETE == $type) {
                     // Data can only be deleted from it if the context is either expired, or unprotected.
+                    // Note: We can only check whether a context is expired or unprotected if the site is configured and
+                    // defaults are set appropriately. If they are not, we treat all contexts as though they are
+                    // unprotected.
                     $purpose = static::get_effective_context_purpose($context);
                     if (!expired_contexts_manager::is_context_expired_or_unprotected_for_user($context, $foruser)) {
                         continue;
diff --git a/admin/tool/dataprivacy/classes/task/process_data_request_task.php b/admin/tool/dataprivacy/classes/task/process_data_request_task.php
index f3f87a221d5..7b9fad33b0d 100644
--- a/admin/tool/dataprivacy/classes/task/process_data_request_task.php
+++ b/admin/tool/dataprivacy/classes/task/process_data_request_task.php
@@ -74,11 +74,9 @@ class process_data_request_task extends adhoc_task {
             return;
         }
 
-        // If no site purpose is defined, reject requests since they cannot be processed.
         if (!\tool_dataprivacy\data_registry::defaults_set()) {
-            api::update_request_status($requestid, api::DATAREQUEST_STATUS_REJECTED);
-            mtrace('No site purpose defined. Request ' . $requestid . ' rejected.');
-            return;
+            // Warn if no site purpose is defined.
+            mtrace('Warning: No purpose is defined at the system level. Deletion will delete all.');
         }
 
         // Grab the manager.
diff --git a/admin/tool/dataprivacy/datarequests.php b/admin/tool/dataprivacy/datarequests.php
index ec6b9c2b1c5..331dd1960df 100644
--- a/admin/tool/dataprivacy/datarequests.php
+++ b/admin/tool/dataprivacy/datarequests.php
@@ -38,6 +38,10 @@ $title = get_string('datarequests', 'tool_dataprivacy');
 echo $OUTPUT->header();
 echo $OUTPUT->heading($title);
 
+if (!\tool_dataprivacy\data_registry::defaults_set()) {
+    \core\notification::error(get_string('systemconfignotsetwarning', 'tool_dataprivacy'));
+}
+
 if (\tool_dataprivacy\api::is_site_dpo($USER->id)) {
     $filtersapplied = optional_param_array('request-filters', [-1], PARAM_NOTAGS);
     $filterscleared = optional_param('filters-cleared', 0, PARAM_INT);
diff --git a/admin/tool/dataprivacy/lang/en/tool_dataprivacy.php b/admin/tool/dataprivacy/lang/en/tool_dataprivacy.php
index 96fa63b0a03..86b1799db44 100644
--- a/admin/tool/dataprivacy/lang/en/tool_dataprivacy.php
+++ b/admin/tool/dataprivacy/lang/en/tool_dataprivacy.php
@@ -307,6 +307,7 @@ $string['statusrejected'] = 'Rejected';
 $string['subjectscope'] = 'Subject scope';
 $string['subjectscope_help'] = 'The subject scope lists the roles which may be assigned in this context.';
 $string['summary'] = 'Registry configuration summary';
+$string['systemconfignotsetwarning'] = 'A site purpose and category have not been defined. When these are not defined, all data will be removed when processing deletion requests.';
 $string['user'] = 'User';
 $string['userlistnoncompliant'] = 'Userlist provider missing';
 $string['userlistexplanation'] = 'This plugin has the base provider but should also implement the userlist provider for full support of privacy functionality.';
diff --git a/admin/tool/dataprivacy/tests/api_test.php b/admin/tool/dataprivacy/tests/api_test.php
index e9bd9f50d33..8e60223b96e 100644
--- a/admin/tool/dataprivacy/tests/api_test.php
+++ b/admin/tool/dataprivacy/tests/api_test.php
@@ -1635,6 +1635,48 @@ class tool_dataprivacy_api_testcase extends advanced_testcase {
         ];
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Test that delete requests do not filter out protected purpose contexts if the the site is properly configured.
+     */
+    public function test_get_approved_contextlist_collection_for_collection_delete_course_no_site_config() {
+        $this->resetAfterTest();
+
+        $user = $this->getDataGenerator()->create_user();
+
+        $course = $this->getDataGenerator()->create_course(['startdate' => time() - YEARSECS, 'enddate' => time() - YEARSECS]);
+        $coursecontext = \context_course::instance($course->id);
+
+        $forum = $this->getDataGenerator()->create_module('forum', ['course' => $course->id]);
+        list(, $forumcm) = get_course_and_cm_from_instance($forum->id, 'forum');
+        $contextforum = \context_module::instance($forumcm->id);
+
+        $this->getDataGenerator()->enrol_user($user->id, $course->id, 'student');
+
+        // Create the initial contextlist.
+        $initialcollection = new \core_privacy\local\request\contextlist_collection($user->id);
+
+        $contextlist = new \core_privacy\local\request\contextlist();
+        $contextlist->add_from_sql('SELECT id FROM {context} WHERE id = :contextid', ['contextid' => $coursecontext->id]);
+        $contextlist->set_component('tool_dataprivacy');
+        $initialcollection->add_contextlist($contextlist);
+
+        $contextlist = new \core_privacy\local\request\contextlist();
+        $contextlist->add_from_sql('SELECT id FROM {context} WHERE id = :contextid', ['contextid' => $contextforum->id]);
+        $contextlist->set_component('mod_forum');
+        $initialcollection->add_contextlist($contextlist);
+
+        $collection = api::get_approved_contextlist_collection_for_collection(
+                $initialcollection, $user, api::DATAREQUEST_TYPE_DELETE);
+
+        $this->assertCount(2, $collection);
+
+        $list = $collection->get_contextlist_for_component('tool_dataprivacy');
+        $this->assertCount(1, $list);
+
+        $list = $collection->get_contextlist_for_component('mod_forum');
+        $this->assertCount(1, $list);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Test that delete requests do not filter out protected purpose contexts if they are already expired.
      */