diff --git a/cms/static/js/spec/views/pages/container_spec.js b/cms/static/js/spec/views/pages/container_spec.js
index 78b0428bb4..2227751cb6 100644
--- a/cms/static/js/spec/views/pages/container_spec.js
+++ b/cms/static/js/spec/views/pages/container_spec.js
@@ -218,10 +218,15 @@ define(["jquery", "underscore", "js/spec_helpers/create_sinon", "js/spec_helpers
                         clickDelete(componentIndex);
                         create_sinon.respondWithJson(requests, {});
 
-                        // expect request URL to contain given component's id
-                        expect(lastRequest().url).toMatch(
+                        // first request contains given component's id (to delete the component)
+                        expect(requests[requests.length - 2].url).toMatch(
                             new RegExp("locator-component-" + GROUP_TO_TEST + (componentIndex + 1))
                         );
+
+                        // second request contains parent's id (to remove as child)
+                        expect(lastRequest().url).toMatch(
+                            new RegExp("locator-group-" + GROUP_TO_TEST)
+                        );
                     };
 
                     deleteComponentWithSuccess = function(componentIndex) {
diff --git a/cms/static/js/views/container.js b/cms/static/js/views/container.js
index d10dbfb728..e29381e9b1 100644
--- a/cms/static/js/views/container.js
+++ b/cms/static/js/views/container.js
@@ -41,12 +41,12 @@ define(["jquery", "underscore", "js/views/xblock", "js/utils/module", "gettext",
                         // avoid creating an orphan if the addition fails.
                         if (newParent) {
                             removeFromParent = oldParent;
-                            self.reorder(newParent, function () {
-                                self.reorder(removeFromParent, hideSaving);
+                            self.updateChildren(newParent, function () {
+                                self.updateChildren(removeFromParent, hideSaving);
                             });
                         } else {
                             // No new parent, only reordering within same container.
-                            self.reorder(oldParent, hideSaving);
+                            self.updateChildren(oldParent, hideSaving);
                         }
 
                         oldParent = undefined;
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ define(["jquery", "underscore", "js/views/xblock", "js/utils/module", "gettext",
                 });
             },
 
-            reorder: function (targetParent, successCallback) {
+            updateChildren: function (targetParent, successCallback) {
                 var children, childLocators;
 
                 // Find descendants with class "studio-xblock-wrapper" whose parent === targetParent.
diff --git a/cms/static/js/views/pages/container.js b/cms/static/js/views/pages/container.js
index cc91a3e242..b1715ea425 100644
--- a/cms/static/js/views/pages/container.js
+++ b/cms/static/js/views/pages/container.js
@@ -152,9 +152,12 @@ define(["jquery", "underscore", "gettext", "js/views/feedback_notification",
                                     type: 'DELETE',
                                     url: self.getURLRoot() + "/" +
                                         xblockElement.data('locator') + "?" +
-                                        $.param({recurse: true, all_versions: true})
+                                        $.param({recurse: true, all_versions: false})
                                 }).success(function() {
+                                    // get the parent so we can remove this component from its parent.
+                                    var parent = self.findXBlockElement(xblockElement.parent());
                                     xblockElement.remove();
+                                    self.xblockView.updateChildren(parent);
                                 });
                             });
                     });