diff --git a/lib/App/Netdisco/Worker/Plugin.pm b/lib/App/Netdisco/Worker/Plugin.pm
index 8f05a7c4..6eca1d72 100644
--- a/lib/App/Netdisco/Worker/Plugin.pm
+++ b/lib/App/Netdisco/Worker/Plugin.pm
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ register 'register_worker' => sub {
 
       # per-device action but no device creds available
       return $job->add_status( Status->info('skip: driver or action not applicable') )
-        if 0 == scalar @newuserconf;
+        if 0 == scalar @newuserconf && $job->action ne "delete";
     }
 
     # back up and restore device_auth
diff --git a/lib/App/Netdisco/Worker/Runner.pm b/lib/App/Netdisco/Worker/Runner.pm
index 2c5e21ef..d7f67f6c 100644
--- a/lib/App/Netdisco/Worker/Runner.pm
+++ b/lib/App/Netdisco/Worker/Runner.pm
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ sub run {
 
     # per-device action but no device creds available
     return $job->add_status( Status->defer('deferred job with no device creds') )
-      if 0 == scalar @newuserconf;
+      if 0 == scalar @newuserconf && $job->action ne "delete";
   }
 
   # back up and restore device_auth