diff --git a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/tests/test_contentstore.py b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/tests/test_contentstore.py
index c0ab9ec60e..50bbb305f5 100644
--- a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/tests/test_contentstore.py
+++ b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/tests/test_contentstore.py
@@ -103,6 +103,37 @@ class ContentStoreToyCourseTest(ModuleStoreTestCase):
 
         self.assertEqual(reverse_tabs, course_tabs)
 
+    def test_delete(self):
+        import_from_xml(modulestore(), 'common/test/data/', ['full'])
+
+        ms = modulestore('direct')
+        course = ms.get_item(Location(['i4x', 'edX', 'full', 'course', '6.002_Spring_2012', None]))
+
+        sequential = ms.get_item(Location(['i4x', 'edX', 'full', 'sequential','Administrivia_and_Circuit_Elements', None]))
+
+        chapter = ms.get_item(Location(['i4x', 'edX', 'full', 'chapter','Week_1', None]))
+
+        # make sure the parent no longer points to the child object which was deleted
+        self.assertTrue(sequential.location.url() in chapter.definition['children'])
+
+        resp = self.client.post(reverse('delete_item'), json.dumps({'id': sequential.location.url(), 'delete_children':'true'}), "application/json")
+
+        bFound = False
+        try:
+            sequential = ms.get_item(Location(['i4x', 'edX', 'full', 'sequential','Administrivia_and_Circuit_Elements', None]))
+            bFound = True
+        except ItemNotFoundError:
+            pass
+
+        self.assertFalse(bFound)
+
+        chapter = ms.get_item(Location(['i4x', 'edX', 'full', 'chapter','Week_1', None]))
+
+        # make sure the parent no longer points to the child object which was deleted
+        self.assertFalse(sequential.location.url() in chapter.definition['children'])
+
+        
+
     def test_about_overrides(self):
         '''
         This test case verifies that a course can use specialized override for about data, e.g. /about/Fall_2012/effort.html
diff --git a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/views.py b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/views.py
index 34003d71a4..846c0625b1 100644
--- a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/views.py
+++ b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/views.py
@@ -636,6 +636,17 @@ def delete_item(request):
     if item.location.revision is None and item.location.category == 'vertical' and delete_all_versions:
         modulestore('direct').delete_item(item.location)
 
+    # cdodge: we need to remove our parent's pointer to us so that it is no longer dangling
+
+    parent_locs = modulestore('direct').get_parent_locations(item_loc, None)
+
+    for parent_loc in parent_locs:
+        parent = modulestore('direct').get_item(parent_loc)
+        item_url = item_loc.url()
+        if item_url in parent.definition["children"]:
+            parent.definition["children"].remove(item_url)
+            modulestore('direct').update_children(parent.location, parent.definition["children"])
+
     return HttpResponse()