diff --git a/watcher/api/controllers/v1/audit.py b/watcher/api/controllers/v1/audit.py
index 7a247dc11..8fe2a22e7 100644
--- a/watcher/api/controllers/v1/audit.py
+++ b/watcher/api/controllers/v1/audit.py
@@ -636,4 +636,11 @@ class AuditsController(rest.RestController):
         policy.enforce(context, 'audit:update', audit_to_delete,
                        action='audit:update')
 
+        initial_state = audit_to_delete.state
+        new_state = objects.audit.State.DELETED
+        if not objects.audit.AuditStateTransitionManager(
+                ).check_transition(initial_state, new_state):
+            raise exception.DeleteError(
+                state=initial_state)
+
         audit_to_delete.soft_delete()
diff --git a/watcher/common/exception.py b/watcher/common/exception.py
index f4d7404c4..afae2f307 100644
--- a/watcher/common/exception.py
+++ b/watcher/common/exception.py
@@ -332,6 +332,10 @@ class PatchError(Invalid):
     msg_fmt = _("Couldn't apply patch '%(patch)s'. Reason: %(reason)s")
 
 
+class DeleteError(Invalid):
+    msg_fmt = _("Couldn't delete when state is '%(state)s'.")
+
+
 # decision engine
 
 class WorkflowExecutionException(WatcherException):
diff --git a/watcher/tests/api/v1/test_actions_plans.py b/watcher/tests/api/v1/test_actions_plans.py
index 0f5d5d4ef..950ece523 100644
--- a/watcher/tests/api/v1/test_actions_plans.py
+++ b/watcher/tests/api/v1/test_actions_plans.py
@@ -147,6 +147,11 @@ class TestListActionPlan(api_base.FunctionalTest):
                 audit_id=audit2.id)
             action_plan_list.append(action_plan.uuid)
 
+        new_state = objects.audit.State.CANCELLED
+        self.patch_json(
+            '/audits/%s' % audit1.uuid,
+            [{'path': '/state', 'value': new_state,
+             'op': 'replace'}])
         self.delete('/audits/%s' % audit1.uuid)
 
         response = self.get_json('/action_plans')
diff --git a/watcher/tests/api/v1/test_audits.py b/watcher/tests/api/v1/test_audits.py
index d3ea0ffd3..1b425b02b 100644
--- a/watcher/tests/api/v1/test_audits.py
+++ b/watcher/tests/api/v1/test_audits.py
@@ -828,6 +828,23 @@ class TestDelete(api_base.FunctionalTest):
     def test_delete_audit(self, mock_utcnow):
         test_time = datetime.datetime(2000, 1, 1, 0, 0)
         mock_utcnow.return_value = test_time
+
+        new_state = objects.audit.State.ONGOING
+        self.patch_json(
+            '/audits/%s' % self.audit.uuid,
+            [{'path': '/state', 'value': new_state,
+             'op': 'replace'}])
+        response = self.delete('/audits/%s' % self.audit.uuid,
+                               expect_errors=True)
+        self.assertEqual(400, response.status_int)
+        self.assertEqual('application/json', response.content_type)
+        self.assertTrue(response.json['error_message'])
+
+        new_state = objects.audit.State.CANCELLED
+        self.patch_json(
+            '/audits/%s' % self.audit.uuid,
+            [{'path': '/state', 'value': new_state,
+             'op': 'replace'}])
         self.delete('/audits/%s' % self.audit.uuid)
         response = self.get_json('/audits/%s' % self.audit.uuid,
                                  expect_errors=True)