diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/context.go b/pkg/yqlib/context.go
index 7fb09b56..fd3bdfc0 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/context.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/context.go
@@ -42,3 +42,13 @@ func (n *Context) ChildContext(results *list.List) Context {
 	clone.MatchingNodes = results
 	return clone
 }
+
+func (n *Context) Clone() Context {
+	clone := Context{}
+	err := copier.Copy(&clone, n)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Error("Error cloning context :(")
+		panic(err)
+	}
+	return clone
+}
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/operator_delete.go b/pkg/yqlib/operator_delete.go
index f28569a9..b9648895 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/operator_delete.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/operator_delete.go
@@ -7,8 +7,9 @@ import (
 )
 
 func deleteChildOperator(d *dataTreeNavigator, context Context, expressionNode *ExpressionNode) (Context, error) {
-
-	nodesToDelete, err := d.GetMatchingNodes(context, expressionNode.Rhs)
+	contextToUse := context.Clone()
+	contextToUse.DontAutoCreate = true
+	nodesToDelete, err := d.GetMatchingNodes(contextToUse, expressionNode.Rhs)
 
 	if err != nil {
 		return Context{}, err
@@ -17,19 +18,21 @@ func deleteChildOperator(d *dataTreeNavigator, context Context, expressionNode *
 	for el := nodesToDelete.MatchingNodes.Back(); el != nil; el = el.Prev() {
 		candidate := el.Value.(*CandidateNode)
 
-		deleteImmediateChildOp := &Operation{
-			OperationType: deleteImmediateChildOpType,
-			Value:         candidate.Path[len(candidate.Path)-1],
-		}
+		if len(candidate.Path) > 0 {
+			deleteImmediateChildOp := &Operation{
+				OperationType: deleteImmediateChildOpType,
+				Value:         candidate.Path[len(candidate.Path)-1],
+			}
 
-		deleteImmediateChildOpNode := &ExpressionNode{
-			Operation: deleteImmediateChildOp,
-			Rhs:       createTraversalTree(candidate.Path[0:len(candidate.Path)-1], traversePreferences{}),
-		}
+			deleteImmediateChildOpNode := &ExpressionNode{
+				Operation: deleteImmediateChildOp,
+				Rhs:       createTraversalTree(candidate.Path[0:len(candidate.Path)-1], traversePreferences{}),
+			}
 
-		_, err := d.GetMatchingNodes(context, deleteImmediateChildOpNode)
-		if err != nil {
-			return Context{}, err
+			_, err := d.GetMatchingNodes(contextToUse, deleteImmediateChildOpNode)
+			if err != nil {
+				return Context{}, err
+			}
 		}
 	}
 	return context, nil
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/operator_delete_test.go b/pkg/yqlib/operator_delete_test.go
index 364f271e..109bc2d8 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/operator_delete_test.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/operator_delete_test.go
@@ -53,6 +53,22 @@ var deleteOperatorScenarios = []expressionScenario{
 			"D0, P[], (doc)::a: [x, x]\n",
 		},
 	},
+	{
+		skipDoc:    true,
+		document:   `a: {thing1: yep, thing2: cool, thing3: hi, b: {thing1: cool, great: huh}}`,
+		expression: `del(..)`,
+		expected: []string{
+			"D0, P[], (!!map)::{}\n",
+		},
+	},
+	{
+		skipDoc:    true,
+		document:   `a: {thing1: yep, thing2: cool, thing3: hi, b: {thing1: cool, great: huh}}`,
+		expression: `del(.. | select(tag == "!!map") | (.b.thing1,.thing2))`,
+		expected: []string{
+			"D0, P[], (!!map)::a: {thing1: yep, thing3: hi, b: {great: huh}}\n",
+		},
+	},
 	{
 		description: "Delete nested entry in array",
 		document:    `[{a: cat, b: dog}]`,