diff --git a/d2oracle/edit.go b/d2oracle/edit.go
index 9fe1c5389..3537677b3 100644
--- a/d2oracle/edit.go
+++ b/d2oracle/edit.go
@@ -773,13 +773,14 @@ func deleteObject(g *d2graph.Graph, key *d2ast.KeyPath, obj *d2graph.Object) (*d
 		if len(ref.MapKey.Edges) == 0 {
 			isSuffix := ref.KeyPathIndex == len(ref.Key.Path)-1
 			ref.Key.Path = append(ref.Key.Path[:ref.KeyPathIndex], ref.Key.Path[ref.KeyPathIndex+1:]...)
-			withoutReserved := go2.Filter(ref.Key.Path, func(x *d2ast.StringBox) bool {
-				_, ok := d2graph.ReservedKeywords[x.Unbox().ScalarString()]
-				return !ok
+			withoutSpecial := go2.Filter(ref.Key.Path, func(x *d2ast.StringBox) bool {
+				_, isReserved := d2graph.ReservedKeywords[x.Unbox().ScalarString()]
+				isSpecial := isReserved || x.Unbox().ScalarString() == "_"
+				return !isSpecial
 			})
 			if obj.Attributes.Shape.Value == d2target.ShapeSQLTable || obj.Attributes.Shape.Value == d2target.ShapeClass {
 				ref.MapKey.Value.Map = nil
-			} else if len(withoutReserved) == 0 {
+			} else if len(withoutSpecial) == 0 {
 				hoistRefChildren(g, key, ref)
 				deleteFromMap(ref.Scope, ref.MapKey)
 			} else if ref.MapKey.Value.Unbox() == nil &&
@@ -1167,7 +1168,7 @@ func move(g *d2graph.Graph, key, newKey string) (*d2graph.Graph, error) {
 		}
 
 		ida := d2graph.Key(ref.Key)
-		resolvedObj, resolvedIDA, err := d2graph.ResolveUnderscoreKey(ida, obj)
+		resolvedObj, resolvedIDA, err := d2graph.ResolveUnderscoreKey(ida, ref.ScopeObj)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
@@ -2086,11 +2087,11 @@ func getMostNestedRefs(obj *d2graph.Object) []d2graph.Reference {
 		if err != nil {
 			mostKey = &d2ast.KeyPath{}
 		}
-		_, resolvedScopeKey, err := d2graph.ResolveUnderscoreKey(d2graph.Key(scopeKey), obj)
+		_, resolvedScopeKey, err := d2graph.ResolveUnderscoreKey(d2graph.Key(scopeKey), ref.ScopeObj)
 		if err != nil {
 			continue
 		}
-		_, resolvedMostKey, err := d2graph.ResolveUnderscoreKey(d2graph.Key(mostKey), obj)
+		_, resolvedMostKey, err := d2graph.ResolveUnderscoreKey(d2graph.Key(mostKey), ref.ScopeObj)
 		if err != nil {
 			continue
 		}
diff --git a/d2oracle/edit_test.go b/d2oracle/edit_test.go
index 4c6a16cae..489f3384b 100644
--- a/d2oracle/edit_test.go
+++ b/d2oracle/edit_test.go
@@ -2025,6 +2025,24 @@ c: {
   d
   b
 }
+`,
+		},
+
+		{
+			name: "nested-underscore-move-out",
+			text: `guitar: {
+	books: {
+		_._.pipe
+  }
+}
+`,
+			key:    `pipe`,
+			newKey: `guitar.pipe`,
+
+			exp: `guitar: {
+  books
+  pipe
+}
 `,
 		},
 		{
@@ -3189,6 +3207,41 @@ c -> d
 			exp: `books: {
   _.pipe
 }
+`,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "only-underscore",
+
+			text: `guitar: {
+	books: {
+    _._.pipe
+  }
+}
+`,
+			key: `pipe`,
+
+			exp: `guitar: {
+  books
+}
+`,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "only-underscore-nested",
+
+			text: `guitar: {
+	books: {
+		_._.pipe: {
+      a
+    }
+  }
+}
+`,
+			key: `pipe`,
+
+			exp: `guitar: {
+  books
+}
+a
 `,
 		},
 		{
@@ -4743,6 +4796,23 @@ x.y.z.w.e.p.l -> x.y.z.1.2.3.4
   "x.x": "x"
 }`,
 		},
+
+		{
+			name: "only-reserved",
+			text: `guitar: {
+	books: {
+		_._.pipe: {
+      a
+    }
+  }
+}
+`,
+			key: `pipe`,
+
+			exp: `{
+  "pipe.a": "a"
+}`,
+		},
 		{
 			name: "delete_container_with_conflicts",
 
diff --git a/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/only-underscore-nested.exp.json b/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/only-underscore-nested.exp.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..483e50180
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/only-underscore-nested.exp.json
@@ -0,0 +1,255 @@
+{
+  "graph": {
+    "name": "",
+    "ast": {
+      "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/only-underscore-nested.d2,0:0:0-4:0:22",
+      "nodes": [
+        {
+          "map_key": {
+            "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/only-underscore-nested.d2,0:0:0-2:1:19",
+            "key": {
+              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/only-underscore-nested.d2,0:0:0-0:6:6",
+              "path": [
+                {
+                  "unquoted_string": {
+                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/only-underscore-nested.d2,0:0:0-0:6:6",
+                    "value": [
+                      {
+                        "string": "guitar",
+                        "raw_string": "guitar"
+                      }
+                    ]
+                  }
+                }
+              ]
+            },
+            "primary": {},
+            "value": {
+              "map": {
+                "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/only-underscore-nested.d2,0:8:8-2:0:18",
+                "nodes": [
+                  {
+                    "map_key": {
+                      "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/only-underscore-nested.d2,1:2:12-1:7:17",
+                      "key": {
+                        "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/only-underscore-nested.d2,1:2:12-1:7:17",
+                        "path": [
+                          {
+                            "unquoted_string": {
+                              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/only-underscore-nested.d2,1:2:12-1:7:17",
+                              "value": [
+                                {
+                                  "string": "books",
+                                  "raw_string": "books"
+                                }
+                              ]
+                            }
+                          }
+                        ]
+                      },
+                      "primary": {},
+                      "value": {}
+                    }
+                  }
+                ]
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        },
+        {
+          "map_key": {
+            "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/only-underscore-nested.d2,3:0:20-3:1:21",
+            "key": {
+              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/only-underscore-nested.d2,3:0:20-3:1:21",
+              "path": [
+                {
+                  "unquoted_string": {
+                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/only-underscore-nested.d2,3:0:20-3:1:21",
+                    "value": [
+                      {
+                        "string": "a",
+                        "raw_string": "a"
+                      }
+                    ]
+                  }
+                }
+              ]
+            },
+            "primary": {},
+            "value": {}
+          }
+        }
+      ]
+    },
+    "root": {
+      "id": "",
+      "id_val": "",
+      "label_dimensions": {
+        "width": 0,
+        "height": 0
+      },
+      "attributes": {
+        "label": {
+          "value": ""
+        },
+        "style": {},
+        "near_key": null,
+        "shape": {
+          "value": ""
+        },
+        "direction": {
+          "value": ""
+        },
+        "constraint": {
+          "value": ""
+        }
+      },
+      "zIndex": 0
+    },
+    "edges": null,
+    "objects": [
+      {
+        "id": "guitar",
+        "id_val": "guitar",
+        "label_dimensions": {
+          "width": 0,
+          "height": 0
+        },
+        "references": [
+          {
+            "key": {
+              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/only-underscore-nested.d2,0:0:0-0:6:6",
+              "path": [
+                {
+                  "unquoted_string": {
+                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/only-underscore-nested.d2,0:0:0-0:6:6",
+                    "value": [
+                      {
+                        "string": "guitar",
+                        "raw_string": "guitar"
+                      }
+                    ]
+                  }
+                }
+              ]
+            },
+            "key_path_index": 0,
+            "map_key_edge_index": -1
+          }
+        ],
+        "attributes": {
+          "label": {
+            "value": "guitar"
+          },
+          "style": {},
+          "near_key": null,
+          "shape": {
+            "value": "rectangle"
+          },
+          "direction": {
+            "value": ""
+          },
+          "constraint": {
+            "value": ""
+          }
+        },
+        "zIndex": 0
+      },
+      {
+        "id": "books",
+        "id_val": "books",
+        "label_dimensions": {
+          "width": 0,
+          "height": 0
+        },
+        "references": [
+          {
+            "key": {
+              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/only-underscore-nested.d2,1:2:12-1:7:17",
+              "path": [
+                {
+                  "unquoted_string": {
+                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/only-underscore-nested.d2,1:2:12-1:7:17",
+                    "value": [
+                      {
+                        "string": "books",
+                        "raw_string": "books"
+                      }
+                    ]
+                  }
+                }
+              ]
+            },
+            "key_path_index": 0,
+            "map_key_edge_index": -1
+          }
+        ],
+        "attributes": {
+          "label": {
+            "value": "books"
+          },
+          "style": {},
+          "near_key": null,
+          "shape": {
+            "value": "rectangle"
+          },
+          "direction": {
+            "value": ""
+          },
+          "constraint": {
+            "value": ""
+          }
+        },
+        "zIndex": 0
+      },
+      {
+        "id": "a",
+        "id_val": "a",
+        "label_dimensions": {
+          "width": 0,
+          "height": 0
+        },
+        "references": [
+          {
+            "key": {
+              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/only-underscore-nested.d2,3:0:20-3:1:21",
+              "path": [
+                {
+                  "unquoted_string": {
+                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/only-underscore-nested.d2,3:0:20-3:1:21",
+                    "value": [
+                      {
+                        "string": "a",
+                        "raw_string": "a"
+                      }
+                    ]
+                  }
+                }
+              ]
+            },
+            "key_path_index": 0,
+            "map_key_edge_index": -1
+          }
+        ],
+        "attributes": {
+          "label": {
+            "value": "a"
+          },
+          "style": {},
+          "near_key": null,
+          "shape": {
+            "value": "rectangle"
+          },
+          "direction": {
+            "value": ""
+          },
+          "constraint": {
+            "value": ""
+          }
+        },
+        "zIndex": 0
+      }
+    ]
+  },
+  "err": "<nil>"
+}
diff --git a/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/only-underscore.exp.json b/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/only-underscore.exp.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ce90b0614
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/only-underscore.exp.json
@@ -0,0 +1,185 @@
+{
+  "graph": {
+    "name": "",
+    "ast": {
+      "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/only-underscore.d2,0:0:0-3:0:20",
+      "nodes": [
+        {
+          "map_key": {
+            "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/only-underscore.d2,0:0:0-2:1:19",
+            "key": {
+              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/only-underscore.d2,0:0:0-0:6:6",
+              "path": [
+                {
+                  "unquoted_string": {
+                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/only-underscore.d2,0:0:0-0:6:6",
+                    "value": [
+                      {
+                        "string": "guitar",
+                        "raw_string": "guitar"
+                      }
+                    ]
+                  }
+                }
+              ]
+            },
+            "primary": {},
+            "value": {
+              "map": {
+                "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/only-underscore.d2,0:8:8-2:0:18",
+                "nodes": [
+                  {
+                    "map_key": {
+                      "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/only-underscore.d2,1:2:12-1:7:17",
+                      "key": {
+                        "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/only-underscore.d2,1:2:12-1:7:17",
+                        "path": [
+                          {
+                            "unquoted_string": {
+                              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/only-underscore.d2,1:2:12-1:7:17",
+                              "value": [
+                                {
+                                  "string": "books",
+                                  "raw_string": "books"
+                                }
+                              ]
+                            }
+                          }
+                        ]
+                      },
+                      "primary": {},
+                      "value": {}
+                    }
+                  }
+                ]
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      ]
+    },
+    "root": {
+      "id": "",
+      "id_val": "",
+      "label_dimensions": {
+        "width": 0,
+        "height": 0
+      },
+      "attributes": {
+        "label": {
+          "value": ""
+        },
+        "style": {},
+        "near_key": null,
+        "shape": {
+          "value": ""
+        },
+        "direction": {
+          "value": ""
+        },
+        "constraint": {
+          "value": ""
+        }
+      },
+      "zIndex": 0
+    },
+    "edges": null,
+    "objects": [
+      {
+        "id": "guitar",
+        "id_val": "guitar",
+        "label_dimensions": {
+          "width": 0,
+          "height": 0
+        },
+        "references": [
+          {
+            "key": {
+              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/only-underscore.d2,0:0:0-0:6:6",
+              "path": [
+                {
+                  "unquoted_string": {
+                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/only-underscore.d2,0:0:0-0:6:6",
+                    "value": [
+                      {
+                        "string": "guitar",
+                        "raw_string": "guitar"
+                      }
+                    ]
+                  }
+                }
+              ]
+            },
+            "key_path_index": 0,
+            "map_key_edge_index": -1
+          }
+        ],
+        "attributes": {
+          "label": {
+            "value": "guitar"
+          },
+          "style": {},
+          "near_key": null,
+          "shape": {
+            "value": "rectangle"
+          },
+          "direction": {
+            "value": ""
+          },
+          "constraint": {
+            "value": ""
+          }
+        },
+        "zIndex": 0
+      },
+      {
+        "id": "books",
+        "id_val": "books",
+        "label_dimensions": {
+          "width": 0,
+          "height": 0
+        },
+        "references": [
+          {
+            "key": {
+              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/only-underscore.d2,1:2:12-1:7:17",
+              "path": [
+                {
+                  "unquoted_string": {
+                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/only-underscore.d2,1:2:12-1:7:17",
+                    "value": [
+                      {
+                        "string": "books",
+                        "raw_string": "books"
+                      }
+                    ]
+                  }
+                }
+              ]
+            },
+            "key_path_index": 0,
+            "map_key_edge_index": -1
+          }
+        ],
+        "attributes": {
+          "label": {
+            "value": "books"
+          },
+          "style": {},
+          "near_key": null,
+          "shape": {
+            "value": "rectangle"
+          },
+          "direction": {
+            "value": ""
+          },
+          "constraint": {
+            "value": ""
+          }
+        },
+        "zIndex": 0
+      }
+    ]
+  },
+  "err": "<nil>"
+}
diff --git a/testdata/d2oracle/TestMove/nested-underscore-move-out.exp.json b/testdata/d2oracle/TestMove/nested-underscore-move-out.exp.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..79df7f9c5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/d2oracle/TestMove/nested-underscore-move-out.exp.json
@@ -0,0 +1,255 @@
+{
+  "graph": {
+    "name": "",
+    "ast": {
+      "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestMove/nested-underscore-move-out.d2,0:0:0-4:0:27",
+      "nodes": [
+        {
+          "map_key": {
+            "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestMove/nested-underscore-move-out.d2,0:0:0-3:1:26",
+            "key": {
+              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestMove/nested-underscore-move-out.d2,0:0:0-0:6:6",
+              "path": [
+                {
+                  "unquoted_string": {
+                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestMove/nested-underscore-move-out.d2,0:0:0-0:6:6",
+                    "value": [
+                      {
+                        "string": "guitar",
+                        "raw_string": "guitar"
+                      }
+                    ]
+                  }
+                }
+              ]
+            },
+            "primary": {},
+            "value": {
+              "map": {
+                "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestMove/nested-underscore-move-out.d2,0:8:8-3:0:25",
+                "nodes": [
+                  {
+                    "map_key": {
+                      "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestMove/nested-underscore-move-out.d2,1:2:12-1:7:17",
+                      "key": {
+                        "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestMove/nested-underscore-move-out.d2,1:2:12-1:7:17",
+                        "path": [
+                          {
+                            "unquoted_string": {
+                              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestMove/nested-underscore-move-out.d2,1:2:12-1:7:17",
+                              "value": [
+                                {
+                                  "string": "books",
+                                  "raw_string": "books"
+                                }
+                              ]
+                            }
+                          }
+                        ]
+                      },
+                      "primary": {},
+                      "value": {}
+                    }
+                  },
+                  {
+                    "map_key": {
+                      "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestMove/nested-underscore-move-out.d2,2:2:20-2:6:24",
+                      "key": {
+                        "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestMove/nested-underscore-move-out.d2,2:2:20-2:6:24",
+                        "path": [
+                          {
+                            "unquoted_string": {
+                              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestMove/nested-underscore-move-out.d2,2:2:20-2:6:24",
+                              "value": [
+                                {
+                                  "string": "pipe",
+                                  "raw_string": "pipe"
+                                }
+                              ]
+                            }
+                          }
+                        ]
+                      },
+                      "primary": {},
+                      "value": {}
+                    }
+                  }
+                ]
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      ]
+    },
+    "root": {
+      "id": "",
+      "id_val": "",
+      "label_dimensions": {
+        "width": 0,
+        "height": 0
+      },
+      "attributes": {
+        "label": {
+          "value": ""
+        },
+        "style": {},
+        "near_key": null,
+        "shape": {
+          "value": ""
+        },
+        "direction": {
+          "value": ""
+        },
+        "constraint": {
+          "value": ""
+        }
+      },
+      "zIndex": 0
+    },
+    "edges": null,
+    "objects": [
+      {
+        "id": "guitar",
+        "id_val": "guitar",
+        "label_dimensions": {
+          "width": 0,
+          "height": 0
+        },
+        "references": [
+          {
+            "key": {
+              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestMove/nested-underscore-move-out.d2,0:0:0-0:6:6",
+              "path": [
+                {
+                  "unquoted_string": {
+                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestMove/nested-underscore-move-out.d2,0:0:0-0:6:6",
+                    "value": [
+                      {
+                        "string": "guitar",
+                        "raw_string": "guitar"
+                      }
+                    ]
+                  }
+                }
+              ]
+            },
+            "key_path_index": 0,
+            "map_key_edge_index": -1
+          }
+        ],
+        "attributes": {
+          "label": {
+            "value": "guitar"
+          },
+          "style": {},
+          "near_key": null,
+          "shape": {
+            "value": "rectangle"
+          },
+          "direction": {
+            "value": ""
+          },
+          "constraint": {
+            "value": ""
+          }
+        },
+        "zIndex": 0
+      },
+      {
+        "id": "books",
+        "id_val": "books",
+        "label_dimensions": {
+          "width": 0,
+          "height": 0
+        },
+        "references": [
+          {
+            "key": {
+              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestMove/nested-underscore-move-out.d2,1:2:12-1:7:17",
+              "path": [
+                {
+                  "unquoted_string": {
+                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestMove/nested-underscore-move-out.d2,1:2:12-1:7:17",
+                    "value": [
+                      {
+                        "string": "books",
+                        "raw_string": "books"
+                      }
+                    ]
+                  }
+                }
+              ]
+            },
+            "key_path_index": 0,
+            "map_key_edge_index": -1
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+        "label_dimensions": {
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+          "height": 0
+        },
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+}