diff --git a/grails-app/controllers/au/org/ala/specieslist/SpeciesListController.groovy b/grails-app/controllers/au/org/ala/specieslist/SpeciesListController.groovy
index f19a9075..c74ca3b8 100644
--- a/grails-app/controllers/au/org/ala/specieslist/SpeciesListController.groovy
+++ b/grails-app/controllers/au/org/ala/specieslist/SpeciesListController.groovy
@@ -91,10 +91,10 @@ class SpeciesListController {
         if(sl){
             helperService.deleteDataResourceForList(sl.dataResourceUid)
             List msIds = SpeciesListItem.executeQuery("select sli.matchedSpecies.id as id from SpeciesListItem as sli where dataResourceUid = :dataResourceUid", ["dataResourceUid": sl.dataResourceUid])
-            MatchedSpecies.executeUpdate("delete from MatchedSpecies where id in (:msIds)", ["msIds": msIds])
-            log.debug("Deleted matched species (${msIds.size()}) ")
             SpeciesListItem.executeUpdate("delete from SpeciesListItem where dataResourceUid = :dataResourceUid", ["dataResourceUid": sl.dataResourceUid])
             log.debug("Deleted species in list: ${sl.dataResourceUid}")
+            MatchedSpecies.executeUpdate("delete from MatchedSpecies where id in (:msIds)", ["msIds": msIds])
+            log.debug("Deleted matched species (${msIds.size()}) ")
             SpeciesListKVP.executeUpdate("delete from SpeciesListKVP where dataResourceUid = :dataResourceUid", ["dataResourceUid": sl.dataResourceUid])
             log.debug("Deleted KV pairs in list: ${sl.dataResourceUid}")
             SpeciesList.executeUpdate("delete from SpeciesList where dataResourceUid = :dataResourceUid", ["dataResourceUid": sl.dataResourceUid])