diff --git a/packages/opal-server/opal_server/scopes/api.py b/packages/opal-server/opal_server/scopes/api.py
index 102bccac4..89ac1ab2c 100644
--- a/packages/opal-server/opal_server/scopes/api.py
+++ b/packages/opal-server/opal_server/scopes/api.py
@@ -173,6 +173,8 @@ async def delete_scope(
             logger.error(f"Unauthorized to delete scope: {repr(ex)}")
             raise
 
+        await scopes.delete(scope_id)
+
         from opal_server.worker import delete_scope
 
         delete_scope.delay(scope_id)
diff --git a/packages/opal-server/opal_server/worker.py b/packages/opal-server/opal_server/worker.py
index 0f41b1529..3ce712a5d 100644
--- a/packages/opal-server/opal_server/worker.py
+++ b/packages/opal-server/opal_server/worker.py
@@ -208,8 +208,6 @@ async def delete_scope(self, scope_id: str):
             )
             shutil.rmtree(scope_dir, ignore_errors=True)
 
-            await scopes.delete(scope_id)
-
     async def sync_scopes(self, only_poll_updates=False):
         with tracer.trace("worker.sync_scopes"):
             scopes = await self._scopes.all()