diff --git a/vlib/builtin/map.v b/vlib/builtin/map.v
index 595873d3f6..c2be212951 100644
--- a/vlib/builtin/map.v
+++ b/vlib/builtin/map.v
@@ -207,8 +207,10 @@ pub fn (n mut mapnode) delete(key string, element_size int) {
 }
 
 pub fn (m mut map) delete(key string) {
-	m.root.delete(key, m.element_size)
-	m.size--
+	if m.exists(key) {
+		m.root.delete(key, m.element_size)
+		m.size--
+	}
 }
 
 fn (m map) exists(key string) bool {
diff --git a/vlib/builtin/map_test.v b/vlib/builtin/map_test.v
index 937b031ac1..8675762582 100644
--- a/vlib/builtin/map_test.v
+++ b/vlib/builtin/map_test.v
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ fn test_map() {
 	assert keys[1] == 'hello'
 	m.delete('hi')
 	assert m.size == 1
+	m.delete('aloha')
+	assert m.size == 1
 
 	assert m['hi'] == 0
 	assert m.keys().len == 1