diff --git a/public/app/features/search/hooks/useManageDashboards.test.ts b/public/app/features/search/hooks/useManageDashboards.test.ts
index 7a6ddc2297a..6f34fdb7645 100644
--- a/public/app/features/search/hooks/useManageDashboards.test.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/search/hooks/useManageDashboards.test.ts
@@ -53,12 +53,83 @@ describe('useManageDashboards', () => {
   });
 
   describe('when called and General folder and another folder are selected', () => {
-    it('then canDelete should be true', () => {
+    it('then canDelete should be false', () => {
       const results: DashboardSection[] = [
-        { id: 1, checked: true, items: [], title: 'One', type: DashboardSearchItemType.DashFolder, toggle, url: '/' },
+        {
+          id: 1,
+          checked: true,
+          items: [
+            {
+              id: 11,
+              checked: true,
+              title: 'Eleven',
+              type: DashboardSearchItemType.DashDB,
+              url: '/',
+              isStarred: false,
+              tags: [],
+              uri: '',
+            },
+          ],
+          title: 'One',
+          type: DashboardSearchItemType.DashFolder,
+          toggle,
+          url: '/',
+        },
         {
           id: GENERAL_FOLDER_ID,
           checked: true,
+          items: [
+            {
+              id: 10,
+              checked: true,
+              title: 'Ten',
+              type: DashboardSearchItemType.DashDB,
+              url: '/',
+              isStarred: false,
+              tags: [],
+              uri: '',
+            },
+          ],
+          title: 'General',
+          type: DashboardSearchItemType.DashFolder,
+          toggle,
+          url: '/',
+        },
+        { id: 2, checked: false, items: [], title: 'Two', type: DashboardSearchItemType.DashFolder, toggle, url: '/' },
+      ];
+
+      const { result } = setupTestContext({ results });
+
+      expect(result.current.canDelete).toBe(false);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('when called on an empty General folder that is not selected but another folder is selected', () => {
+    it('then canDelete should be true', () => {
+      const results: DashboardSection[] = [
+        {
+          id: 1,
+          checked: true,
+          items: [
+            {
+              id: 11,
+              checked: true,
+              title: 'Eleven',
+              type: DashboardSearchItemType.DashDB,
+              url: '/',
+              isStarred: false,
+              tags: [],
+              uri: '',
+            },
+          ],
+          title: 'One',
+          type: DashboardSearchItemType.DashFolder,
+          toggle,
+          url: '/',
+        },
+        {
+          id: GENERAL_FOLDER_ID,
+          checked: false,
           items: [],
           title: 'General',
           type: DashboardSearchItemType.DashFolder,
@@ -74,6 +145,37 @@ describe('useManageDashboards', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  describe('when called on a non empty General folder that is not selected dashboard in General folder is selected', () => {
+    it('then canDelete should be true', () => {
+      const results: DashboardSection[] = [
+        {
+          id: GENERAL_FOLDER_ID,
+          checked: false,
+          items: [
+            {
+              id: 10,
+              checked: true,
+              title: 'Ten',
+              type: DashboardSearchItemType.DashDB,
+              url: '/',
+              isStarred: false,
+              tags: [],
+              uri: '',
+            },
+          ],
+          title: 'General',
+          type: DashboardSearchItemType.DashFolder,
+          toggle,
+          url: '/',
+        },
+      ];
+
+      const { result } = setupTestContext({ results });
+
+      expect(result.current.canDelete).toBe(true);
+    });
+  });
+
   describe('when called and no folder is selected', () => {
     it('then canDelete should be false', () => {
       const results: DashboardSection[] = [
diff --git a/public/app/features/search/hooks/useManageDashboards.ts b/public/app/features/search/hooks/useManageDashboards.ts
index 7561e5ec9e0..e5512b8b53f 100644
--- a/public/app/features/search/hooks/useManageDashboards.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/search/hooks/useManageDashboards.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { useCallback, useMemo, useReducer } from 'react';
 import { FolderDTO } from 'app/types';
 import { contextSrv } from 'app/core/services/context_srv';
-import { DashboardQuery, DashboardSection, OnDeleteItems, OnMoveItems, OnToggleChecked } from '../types';
+import { DashboardQuery, OnDeleteItems, OnMoveItems, OnToggleChecked } from '../types';
 import { DELETE_ITEMS, MOVE_ITEMS, TOGGLE_ALL_CHECKED, TOGGLE_CHECKED } from '../reducers/actionTypes';
 import { manageDashboardsReducer, manageDashboardsState, ManageDashboardsState } from '../reducers/manageDashboards';
 import { useSearch } from './useSearch';
@@ -42,14 +42,14 @@ export const useManageDashboards = (
     dispatch({ type: MOVE_ITEMS, payload: { dashboards: selectedDashboards, folder } });
   };
 
-  const canMove = useMemo(
-    () => results.some((result: DashboardSection) => result.items && result.items.some((item) => item.checked)),
-    [results]
-  );
-  const canDelete = useMemo(
-    () => canMove || results.some((result: DashboardSection) => result.checked && result.id !== GENERAL_FOLDER_ID),
-    [canMove, results]
-  );
+  const canMove = useMemo(() => results.some((result) => result.items && result.items.some((item) => item.checked)), [
+    results,
+  ]);
+
+  const canDelete = useMemo(() => {
+    const includesGeneralFolder = results.find((result) => result.checked && result.id === GENERAL_FOLDER_ID);
+    return canMove && !includesGeneralFolder;
+  }, [canMove, results]);
 
   const canSave = folder?.canSave;
   const hasEditPermissionInFolders = folder ? canSave : contextSrv.hasEditPermissionInFolders;