diff --git a/src/_h5ai/conf/options.json b/src/_h5ai/conf/options.json
index a31a5987..b95a3504 100644
--- a/src/_h5ai/conf/options.json
+++ b/src/_h5ai/conf/options.json
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ Options
 	},
 
 	/* [EXPERIMENTAL]
-	Allow file deletion.
+	Allow file and folder deletion. Be careful with this option!
 	*/
 	"delete": {
 		"enabled": false
diff --git a/src/_h5ai/server/php/inc/class-api.php b/src/_h5ai/server/php/inc/class-api.php
index 8b0d47be..2f202de3 100644
--- a/src/_h5ai/server/php/inc/class-api.php
+++ b/src/_h5ai/server/php/inc/class-api.php
@@ -169,9 +169,9 @@ class Api {
 
 			if ($code == MAGIC_SEQUENCE && !$this->app->is_ignored($n)) {
 
-				$abs_path = $this->app->to_path($href);
+				$path = $this->app->to_path($href);
 
-				if (!unlink($abs_path)) {
+				if (!delete_path($path, true)) {
 					$errors[] = $href;
 				}
 			}
@@ -196,10 +196,10 @@ class Api {
 
 		if ($code == MAGIC_SEQUENCE && !$this->app->is_ignored($n)) {
 
-			$abs_path = $this->app->to_path($href);
-			$folder = normalize_path(dirname($abs_path));
+			$path = $this->app->to_path($href);
+			$folder = normalize_path(dirname($path));
 
-			if (!rename($abs_path, $folder . "/" . $name)) {
+			if (!rename($path, $folder . "/" . $name)) {
 				json_fail(2, "renaming failed");
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/src/_h5ai/server/php/inc/util.php b/src/_h5ai/server/php/inc/util.php
index a6476715..f3e040d4 100644
--- a/src/_h5ai/server/php/inc/util.php
+++ b/src/_h5ai/server/php/inc/util.php
@@ -86,6 +86,27 @@ function exec_cmdv($cmdv) {
 }
 
 
+function delete_path($path, $recursive = false) {
+
+	if (is_file($path)) {
+		return @unlink($path);
+	}
+
+	if (is_dir($path)) {
+		if ($recursive === true && $dir = opendir($path)) {
+			while (($name = readdir($dir)) !== false) {
+				delete_path($path . "/" . $name);
+			}
+			closedir($dir);
+		}
+
+		return @rmdir($path);
+	}
+
+	return false;
+}
+
+
 // debug tools
 
 function err_log($message, $obj = null) {