diff --git a/heat/engine/service.py b/heat/engine/service.py
index ce1b33addc..38ee7291b7 100644
--- a/heat/engine/service.py
+++ b/heat/engine/service.py
@@ -1415,13 +1415,14 @@ class EngineService(service.ServiceBase):
         """
 
         st = self._get_stack(cnxt, stack_identity)
-        if (st.status == parser.Stack.COMPLETE and
-                st.action == parser.Stack.DELETE):
-            raise exception.EntityNotFound(entity='Stack', name=st.name)
-
         LOG.info('Deleting stack %s', st.name)
         stack = parser.Stack.load(cnxt, stack=st)
         self.resource_enforcer.enforce_stack(stack, is_registered_policy=True)
+        if (stack.status == stack.COMPLETE and stack.action == stack.DELETE):
+            # In convergence try to soft delete the stack again
+            if stack.convergence:
+                self.thread_group_mgr.start(stack.id, stack.purge_db)
+            raise exception.EntityNotFound(entity='Stack', name=stack.name)
 
         if stack.convergence:
             stack.thread_group_mgr = self.thread_group_mgr
diff --git a/heat/tests/test_engine_service.py b/heat/tests/test_engine_service.py
index 671c65a2c5..4c25f2b9fb 100644
--- a/heat/tests/test_engine_service.py
+++ b/heat/tests/test_engine_service.py
@@ -956,15 +956,22 @@ class StackServiceTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         self.assertEqual([], outputs)
 
     def test_stack_delete_complete_is_not_found(self):
-        mock_get_stack = self.patchobject(self.eng, '_get_stack')
-        mock_get_stack.return_value = mock.MagicMock()
-        mock_get_stack.return_value.status = parser.Stack.COMPLETE
-        mock_get_stack.return_value.action = parser.Stack.DELETE
+        t = template_format.parse(tools.wp_template)
+        tmpl = templatem.Template(t)
+        stack = parser.Stack(self.ctx, 'delete_complete_stack', tmpl)
+        self.patchobject(self.eng, '_get_stack')
+        self.patchobject(parser.Stack, 'load', return_value=stack)
+        stack.status = stack.COMPLETE
+        stack.action = stack.DELETE
+        stack.convergence = True
+        self.eng.thread_group_mgr.start = mock.MagicMock()
         ex = self.assertRaises(dispatcher.ExpectedException,
                                self.eng.delete_stack,
                                'irrelevant',
                                'irrelevant')
         self.assertEqual(exception.EntityNotFound, ex.exc_info[0])
+        self.eng.thread_group_mgr.start.assert_called_once_with(
+            None, stack.purge_db)
 
     def test_get_environment(self):
         # Setup