diff --git a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/content/ItemServiceImpl.java b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/content/ItemServiceImpl.java
index dc7820b669be..9a97851937e5 100644
--- a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/content/ItemServiceImpl.java
+++ b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/content/ItemServiceImpl.java
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@
 import org.dspace.harvest.HarvestedItem;
 import org.dspace.harvest.service.HarvestedItemService;
 import org.dspace.identifier.DOI;
+import org.dspace.identifier.DOIIdentifierProvider;
 import org.dspace.identifier.IdentifierException;
 import org.dspace.identifier.service.DOIService;
 import org.dspace.identifier.service.IdentifierService;
@@ -851,6 +852,7 @@ protected void rawDelete(Context context, Item item) throws AuthorizeException,
         DOI doi = doiService.findDOIByDSpaceObject(context, item);
         if (doi != null) {
             doi.setDSpaceObject(null);
+            doi.setStatus(DOIIdentifierProvider.TO_BE_DELETED);
         }
 
         // remove version attached to the item