diff --git a/src/api/s3_put.rs b/src/api/s3_put.rs
index e6130af6..084af916 100644
--- a/src/api/s3_put.rs
+++ b/src/api/s3_put.rs
@@ -155,26 +155,30 @@ impl BodyChunker {
 }
 
 pub async fn handle_delete(garage: Arc<Garage>, bucket: &str, key: &str) -> Result<UUID, Error> {
-	let exists = match garage
+	let object = match garage
 		.object_table
 		.get(&bucket.to_string(), &key.to_string())
 		.await?
 	{
-		None => false,
-		Some(o) => {
-			let mut has_active_version = false;
-			for v in o.versions().iter() {
-				if v.data != ObjectVersionData::DeleteMarker {
-					has_active_version = true;
-					break;
-				}
-			}
-			has_active_version
+		None => {
+			// No need to delete
+			return Ok([0u8; 32].into());
 		}
+		Some(o) => o,
 	};
 
-	if !exists {
-		// No need to delete
+	let interesting_versions = object.versions().iter().filter(|v| {
+		v.data != ObjectVersionData::DeleteMarker && v.state != ObjectVersionState::Aborted
+	});
+
+	let mut must_delete = false;
+	let mut timestamp = now_msec();
+	for v in interesting_versions {
+		must_delete = true;
+		timestamp = std::cmp::max(timestamp, v.timestamp + 1);
+	}
+
+	if !must_delete {
 		return Ok([0u8; 32].into());
 	}