diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/strategicpatch/patch.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/strategicpatch/patch.go
index 3ee683b9970..341a092f86d 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/strategicpatch/patch.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/strategicpatch/patch.go
@@ -1425,7 +1425,8 @@ func mergeSliceHandler(original, patch interface{}, schema LookupPatchMeta,
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	if fieldPatchStrategy == mergeDirective {
+	// Delete lists are handled the same way regardless of what the field's patch strategy is
+	if fieldPatchStrategy == mergeDirective || isDeleteList {
 		return mergeSlice(typedOriginal, typedPatch, schema, fieldPatchMergeKey, mergeOptions, isDeleteList)
 	} else {
 		return typedPatch, nil
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/strategicpatch/patch_test.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/strategicpatch/patch_test.go
index 88692ad0612..864cbdf5edf 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/strategicpatch/patch_test.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/strategicpatch/patch_test.go
@@ -717,6 +717,46 @@ $deleteFromPrimitiveList/mergingIntList:
 			Modified: []byte(`
 foo:
   - bar
+`),
+		},
+	},
+	{
+		Description: "$deleteFromPrimitiveList should delete item from a list with merge patch strategy",
+		StrategicMergePatchRawTestCaseData: StrategicMergePatchRawTestCaseData{
+			Original: []byte(`
+mergingIntList:
+  - 1
+  - 2
+  - 3
+`),
+			TwoWay: []byte(`
+$deleteFromPrimitiveList/mergingIntList:
+  - 2
+`),
+			Modified: []byte(`
+mergingIntList:
+  - 1
+  - 3
+`),
+		},
+	},
+	{
+		Description: "$deleteFromPrimitiveList should delete item from a list without merge patch strategy",
+		StrategicMergePatchRawTestCaseData: StrategicMergePatchRawTestCaseData{
+			Original: []byte(`
+nonMergingIntList:
+  - 1
+  - 2
+  - 3
+`),
+			TwoWay: []byte(`
+$deleteFromPrimitiveList/nonMergingIntList:
+  - 2
+`),
+			Modified: []byte(`
+nonMergingIntList:
+  - 1
+  - 3
 `),
 		},
 	},