diff --git a/appview/ingester.go b/appview/ingester.go
index 62eb5cdc..7a3c22a8 100644
--- a/appview/ingester.go
+++ b/appview/ingester.go
@@ -510,6 +510,16 @@ func (i *Ingester) ingestSpindle(e *models.Event) error {
 			i.Enforcer.E.LoadPolicy()
 		}()
 
+		// remove spindle members first
+		err = db.RemoveSpindleMember(
+			tx,
+			db.FilterEq("owner", did),
+			db.FilterEq("instance", instance),
+		)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
 		err = db.DeleteSpindle(
 			tx,
 			db.FilterEq("owner", did),
diff --git a/appview/spindles/spindles.go b/appview/spindles/spindles.go
index bb91dad8..f903fa25 100644
--- a/appview/spindles/spindles.go
+++ b/appview/spindles/spindles.go
@@ -303,6 +303,18 @@ func (s *Spindles) delete(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		s.Enforcer.E.LoadPolicy()
 	}()
 
+	// remove spindle members first
+	err = db.RemoveSpindleMember(
+		tx,
+		db.FilterEq("did", user.Did),
+		db.FilterEq("instance", instance),
+	)
+	if err != nil {
+		l.Error("failed to remove spindle members", "err", err)
+		fail()
+		return
+	}
+
 	err = db.DeleteSpindle(
 		tx,
 		db.FilterEq("owner", user.Did),