diff --git a/rust/sysdb/src/sqlite.rs b/rust/sysdb/src/sqlite.rs
index cd4a8b468d2..a3a10447c0c 100644
--- a/rust/sysdb/src/sqlite.rs
+++ b/rust/sysdb/src/sqlite.rs
@@ -604,6 +604,12 @@ impl SqliteSysDb {
             .begin()
             .await
             .map_err(|e| DeleteCollectionError::Internal(e.into()))?;
+        // Match create_collection: a deferred transaction lets a concurrent
+        // create/delete on the same name lose updates.
+        self.db
+            .begin_immediate(&mut *tx)
+            .await
+            .map_err(|e| DeleteCollectionError::Internal(e.into()))?;
 
         let was_found = self
             .delete_collection_with_conn(&mut *tx, tenant, database, collection_id, segment_ids)