diff --git a/app/controllers/api/v1/projects_controller.rb b/app/controllers/api/v1/projects_controller.rb
index c28b62435..c1a8b1ccf 100644
--- a/app/controllers/api/v1/projects_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/api/v1/projects_controller.rb
@@ -63,6 +63,13 @@ def update
     end
   end
 
+  def destroy
+    super do |resource|
+      split_display_name = resource.display_name.split('_')
+      resource.update(display_name: "#{resource.display_name}_deleted") unless split_display_name[split_display_name.length - 1] == 'deleted'
+    end
+  end
+
   def create_classifications_export
     medium = CreateClassificationsExport.with( api_user: api_user, object: controlled_resource ).run!(params)
     export_medium_response(medium)
diff --git a/spec/controllers/api/v1/projects_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/api/v1/projects_controller_spec.rb
index 96f6540e8..0a4dd74cd 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/api/v1/projects_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/api/v1/projects_controller_spec.rb
@@ -846,6 +846,12 @@ def tag_request
     let(:instances_to_disable) { [resource] }
 
     it_behaves_like 'is deactivatable'
+    it "appends 'deleted' to display_name" do
+      stub_token(scopes: scopes, user_id: authorized_user.id)
+      set_preconditions
+      delete :destroy, params: { id: resource.id }
+      expect(resource.reload.display_name).to end_with('deleted')
+    end
   end
 
   describe '#copy' do