diff --git a/pkg/services/folder/folderimpl/folder.go b/pkg/services/folder/folderimpl/folder.go
index bf25c6d107b..92a9d0c0501 100644
--- a/pkg/services/folder/folderimpl/folder.go
+++ b/pkg/services/folder/folderimpl/folder.go
@@ -299,8 +299,10 @@ func (s *Service) Create(ctx context.Context, cmd *folder.CreateFolderCommand) (
 			// (legacy) folder.
 			logger.Error("error saving folder to nested folder store", "error", err)
 			// do not shallow create error if the legacy folder delete fails
-			deleteErr := s.DeleteFolder(ctx, &folder.DeleteFolderCommand{UID: createdFolder.UID, OrgID: cmd.OrgID, ForceDeleteRules: true, SignedInUser: user})
-			if deleteErr != nil {
+			if deleteErr := s.dashboardStore.DeleteDashboard(ctx, &models.DeleteDashboardCommand{
+				Id:    createdFolder.ID,
+				OrgId: createdFolder.OrgID,
+			}); deleteErr != nil {
 				logger.Error("error deleting folder after failed save to nested folder store", "error", err)
 			}
 			return folder.FromDashboard(dash), err
@@ -415,6 +417,7 @@ func (s *Service) DeleteFolder(ctx context.Context, cmd *folder.DeleteFolderComm
 		err := s.Delete(ctx, cmd)
 		if err != nil {
 			logger.Error("the delete folder on folder table failed with err: ", "error", err)
+			return err
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -460,6 +463,7 @@ func (s *Service) Move(ctx context.Context, cmd *folder.MoveFolderCommand) (*fol
 }
 
 func (s *Service) Delete(ctx context.Context, cmd *folder.DeleteFolderCommand) error {
+	logger := s.log.FromContext(ctx)
 	if cmd.SignedInUser == nil {
 		return folder.ErrBadRequest.Errorf("missing signed in user")
 	}
@@ -478,13 +482,17 @@ func (s *Service) Delete(ctx context.Context, cmd *folder.DeleteFolderCommand) e
 		return err
 	}
 	for _, f := range folders {
-		err := s.Delete(ctx, &folder.DeleteFolderCommand{UID: f.UID, OrgID: f.OrgID, ForceDeleteRules: cmd.ForceDeleteRules})
+		logger.Info("deleting subfolder", "org_id", f.OrgID, "uid", f.UID)
+		err := s.Delete(ctx, &folder.DeleteFolderCommand{UID: f.UID, OrgID: f.OrgID, ForceDeleteRules: cmd.ForceDeleteRules, SignedInUser: cmd.SignedInUser})
 		if err != nil {
+			logger.Error("failed deleting subfolder", "org_id", f.OrgID, "uid", f.UID, "error", err)
 			return err
 		}
 	}
+	logger.Info("deleting folder", "org_id", cmd.OrgID, "uid", cmd.UID)
 	err = s.store.Delete(ctx, cmd.UID, cmd.OrgID)
 	if err != nil {
+		logger.Info("failed deleting folder", "org_id", cmd.OrgID, "uid", cmd.UID, "err", err)
 		return err
 	}
 	return nil
diff --git a/pkg/services/folder/folderimpl/folder_test.go b/pkg/services/folder/folderimpl/folder_test.go
index bfe18a5f2d0..eb3d3ab0d2f 100644
--- a/pkg/services/folder/folderimpl/folder_test.go
+++ b/pkg/services/folder/folderimpl/folder_test.go
@@ -476,6 +476,10 @@ func TestNestedFolderService(t *testing.T) {
 			dashStore.On("SaveDashboard", mock.Anything, mock.AnythingOfType("models.SaveDashboardCommand")).Return(&models.Dashboard{}, nil)
 			dashStore.On("GetFolderByID", mock.Anything, mock.AnythingOfType("int64"), mock.AnythingOfType("int64")).Return(&folder.Folder{}, nil)
 			dashStore.On("GetFolderByUID", mock.Anything, mock.AnythingOfType("int64"), mock.AnythingOfType("string")).Return(&folder.Folder{}, nil)
+			var actualCmd *models.DeleteDashboardCommand
+			dashStore.On("DeleteDashboard", mock.Anything, mock.Anything).Run(func(args mock.Arguments) {
+				actualCmd = args.Get(1).(*models.DeleteDashboardCommand)
+			}).Return(nil).Once()
 
 			// return an error from the folder store
 			store.ExpectedError = errors.New("FAILED")
@@ -491,6 +495,7 @@ func TestNestedFolderService(t *testing.T) {
 
 			// CreateFolder should also call the folder store's create method.
 			require.True(t, store.CreateCalled)
+			require.NotNil(t, actualCmd)
 
 			t.Cleanup(func() {
 				guardian.New = g