diff --git a/pkg/errors/errors.go b/pkg/errors/errors.go
index 4f6bc3d7a..6837eb4fe 100644
--- a/pkg/errors/errors.go
+++ b/pkg/errors/errors.go
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ const (
 	// BadRequest is used when a user supplies bad request parameters.
 	BadRequest
 
-	// VersionMismatch is used when updating a resource with an old version.
+	// VersionMismatch is used when updating or deleting a resource with an old or incorrect version.
 	VersionMismatch
 
 	// NotFound is used when looking up a resource that doesn't exist.
diff --git a/pkg/scd/operational_intents_handler.go b/pkg/scd/operational_intents_handler.go
index 4679d59cb..4886bf8d0 100644
--- a/pkg/scd/operational_intents_handler.go
+++ b/pkg/scd/operational_intents_handler.go
@@ -39,6 +39,13 @@ func (a *Server) DeleteOperationalIntentReference(ctx context.Context, req *rest
 			Message: dsserr.Handle(ctx, stacktrace.NewErrorWithCode(dsserr.PermissionDenied, "Missing manager"))}}
 	}
 
+	// Retrieve OVN
+	ovn := scdmodels.OVN(req.Ovn)
+	if ovn == "" {
+		return restapi.DeleteOperationalIntentReferenceResponseSet{Response400: &restapi.ErrorResponse{
+			Message: dsserr.Handle(ctx, stacktrace.NewErrorWithCode(dsserr.BadRequest, "Missing OVN"))}}
+	}
+
 	var response *restapi.ChangeOperationalIntentReferenceResponse
 	action := func(ctx context.Context, r repos.Repository) (err error) {
 		// Get OperationalIntent to delete
@@ -56,6 +63,11 @@ func (a *Server) DeleteOperationalIntentReference(ctx context.Context, req *rest
 				"OperationalIntent owned by %s, but %s attempted to delete", old.Manager, *req.Auth.ClientID)
 		}
 
+		if old.OVN != ovn {
+			return stacktrace.NewErrorWithCode(dsserr.VersionMismatch,
+				"Current version is %s but client specified version %s", old.OVN, ovn)
+		}
+
 		// Get the Subscription supporting the OperationalIntent, if one is defined
 		var sub *scdmodels.Subscription
 		removeImplicitSubscription := false
@@ -142,6 +154,8 @@ func (a *Server) DeleteOperationalIntentReference(ctx context.Context, req *rest
 			return restapi.DeleteOperationalIntentReferenceResponseSet{Response403: errResp}
 		case dsserr.NotFound:
 			return restapi.DeleteOperationalIntentReferenceResponseSet{Response404: errResp}
+		case dsserr.VersionMismatch:
+			return restapi.DeleteOperationalIntentReferenceResponseSet{Response409: errResp}
 		default:
 			return restapi.DeleteOperationalIntentReferenceResponseSet{Response500: &api.InternalServerErrorBody{
 				ErrorMessage: *dsserr.Handle(ctx, stacktrace.Propagate(err, "Got an unexpected error"))}}