diff --git a/app/models/repository.rb b/app/models/repository.rb
index c07e8072043..ff24b75dcd1 100644
--- a/app/models/repository.rb
+++ b/app/models/repository.rb
@@ -335,6 +335,8 @@ class Repository
 
   # Runs code just before a repository is deleted.
   def before_delete
+    expire_exists_cache
+
     expire_cache if exists?
 
     expire_root_ref_cache
diff --git a/spec/models/repository_spec.rb b/spec/models/repository_spec.rb
index f10d671104c..9242a6f1739 100644
--- a/spec/models/repository_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/repository_spec.rb
@@ -558,7 +558,7 @@ describe Repository, models: true do
       end
 
       it 'flushes the exists cache' do
-        expect(repository).to receive(:expire_exists_cache)
+        expect(repository).to receive(:expire_exists_cache).twice
 
         repository.before_delete
       end