diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/operator_delete.go b/pkg/yqlib/operator_delete.go
index 63f05f81d8..653a40cd8c 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/operator_delete.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/operator_delete.go
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ func deleteFromArray(node *CandidateNode, childPath interface{}) {
 		shouldDelete := fmt.Sprintf("%v", index) == fmt.Sprintf("%v", childPath)
 
 		if !shouldDelete {
+			value.Key.Value = fmt.Sprintf("%v", len(newContents))
 			newContents = append(newContents, value)
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/operator_delete_test.go b/pkg/yqlib/operator_delete_test.go
index 473b329a39..cae7bc83d2 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/operator_delete_test.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/operator_delete_test.go
@@ -179,6 +179,15 @@ var deleteOperatorScenarios = []expressionScenario{
 			"D0, P[], (!!map)::{a: {b: {age: 12}}}\n",
 		},
 	},
+	{
+		skipDoc:     true,
+		description: "Repeatedly delete the first element of a list",
+		document:    `a: [0, 1, 2, 3]`,
+		expression:  `del(.a[0]) | del(.a[0])`,
+		expected: []string{
+			"D0, P[], (!!map)::a: [2, 3]\n",
+		},
+	},
 }
 
 func TestDeleteOperatorScenarios(t *testing.T) {