diff --git a/d2oracle/edit.go b/d2oracle/edit.go
index 92053c58e..7ec8eaefc 100644
--- a/d2oracle/edit.go
+++ b/d2oracle/edit.go
@@ -919,8 +919,7 @@ func deleteObject(g *d2graph.Graph, key *d2ast.KeyPath, obj *d2graph.Object) (*d
 				return !isSpecial
 			})
 			if obj.Attributes.Shape.Value == d2target.ShapeSQLTable || obj.Attributes.Shape.Value == d2target.ShapeClass {
-				ref.MapKey.Value.Map = nil
-				ref.MapKey.Primary = ref.MapKey.Value.ScalarBox()
+				deleteFromMap(ref.Scope, ref.MapKey)
 			} else if len(withoutSpecial) == 0 {
 				hoistRefChildren(g, key, ref)
 				deleteFromMap(ref.Scope, ref.MapKey)
diff --git a/d2oracle/edit_test.go b/d2oracle/edit_test.go
index 3e093033d..3f10dfe4a 100644
--- a/d2oracle/edit_test.go
+++ b/d2oracle/edit_test.go
@@ -3399,6 +3399,44 @@ func TestDelete(t *testing.T) {
 			exp: `x.y.z -> y.b
 `,
 		},
+		{
+			name: "table_refs",
+
+			text: `a: {
+  shape: sql_table
+  b
+}
+c: {
+  shape: sql_table
+  d
+}
+
+a.b
+a.b -> c.d
+`,
+			key: `a`,
+
+			exp: `c: {
+  shape: sql_table
+  d
+}
+c.d
+`,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "class_refs",
+
+			text: `a: {
+  shape: class
+	b: int
+}
+
+a.b
+`,
+			key: `a`,
+
+			exp: ``,
+		},
 		{
 			name: "edge_both_identical_childs",
 
@@ -4740,7 +4778,6 @@ a -> b
     shape: sql_table
     id: int {constraint: primary_key}
   }
-
   disks.id
 
   AWS S3 Vancouver -> disks
diff --git a/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/chaos_1.exp.json b/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/chaos_1.exp.json
index a012ee54a..ed3ab9d08 100644
--- a/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/chaos_1.exp.json
+++ b/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/chaos_1.exp.json
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
     "name": "",
     "isFolderOnly": false,
     "ast": {
-      "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/chaos_1.d2,0:0:0-8:0:94",
+      "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/chaos_1.d2,0:0:0-6:0:92",
       "nodes": [
         {
           "map_key": {
@@ -221,13 +221,13 @@
         },
         {
           "map_key": {
-            "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/chaos_1.d2,7:0:91-7:2:93",
+            "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/chaos_1.d2,5:0:89-5:2:91",
             "key": {
-              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/chaos_1.d2,7:0:91-7:2:93",
+              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/chaos_1.d2,5:0:89-5:2:91",
               "path": [
                 {
                   "unquoted_string": {
-                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/chaos_1.d2,7:0:91-7:2:93",
+                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/chaos_1.d2,5:0:89-5:2:91",
                     "value": [
                       {
                         "string": "cm",
@@ -392,11 +392,11 @@
           },
           {
             "key": {
-              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/chaos_1.d2,7:0:91-7:2:93",
+              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/chaos_1.d2,5:0:89-5:2:91",
               "path": [
                 {
                   "unquoted_string": {
-                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/chaos_1.d2,7:0:91-7:2:93",
+                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/chaos_1.d2,5:0:89-5:2:91",
                     "value": [
                       {
                         "string": "cm",
diff --git a/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/class_refs.exp.json b/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/class_refs.exp.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a46a51904
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/class_refs.exp.json
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+{
+  "graph": {
+    "name": "",
+    "isFolderOnly": false,
+    "ast": {
+      "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/class_refs.d2,0:0:0-0:0:0",
+      "nodes": null
+    },
+    "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": null
+  },
+  "err": "<nil>"
+}
diff --git a/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_class.exp.json b/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_class.exp.json
index 9cffa89e8..a44a1e71c 100644
--- a/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_class.exp.json
+++ b/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_class.exp.json
@@ -3,17 +3,17 @@
     "name": "",
     "isFolderOnly": false,
     "ast": {
-      "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_class.d2,0:0:0-2:0:39",
+      "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_class.d2,0:0:0-1:0:38",
       "nodes": [
         {
           "map_key": {
-            "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_class.d2,1:0:1-1:37:38",
+            "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_class.d2,0:0:0-0:37:37",
             "key": {
-              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_class.d2,1:0:1-1:37:38",
+              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_class.d2,0:0:0-0:37:37",
               "path": [
                 {
                   "double_quoted_string": {
-                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_class.d2,1:0:1-1:37:38",
+                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_class.d2,0:0:0-0:37:37",
                     "value": [
                       {
                         "string": "github.com/terrastruct/d2parser.git",
@@ -67,11 +67,11 @@
         "references": [
           {
             "key": {
-              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_class.d2,1:0:1-1:37:38",
+              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_class.d2,0:0:0-0:37:37",
               "path": [
                 {
                   "double_quoted_string": {
-                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_class.d2,1:0:1-1:37:38",
+                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_class.d2,0:0:0-0:37:37",
                     "value": [
                       {
                         "string": "github.com/terrastruct/d2parser.git",
diff --git a/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.exp.json b/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.exp.json
index d86497638..a77912978 100644
--- a/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.exp.json
+++ b/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.exp.json
@@ -3,11 +3,11 @@
     "name": "",
     "isFolderOnly": false,
     "ast": {
-      "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,0:0:0-10:0:128",
+      "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,0:0:0-9:0:125",
       "nodes": [
         {
           "map_key": {
-            "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,0:0:0-9:1:127",
+            "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,0:0:0-8:1:124",
             "key": {
               "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,0:0:0-0:5:5",
               "path": [
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
             "primary": {},
             "value": {
               "map": {
-                "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,0:7:7-9:0:126",
+                "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,0:7:7-8:0:123",
                 "nodes": [
                   {
                     "map_key": {
@@ -165,13 +165,13 @@
                   },
                   {
                     "map_key": {
-                      "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,6:2:88-6:10:96",
+                      "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,5:2:85-5:10:93",
                       "key": {
-                        "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,6:2:88-6:10:96",
+                        "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,5:2:85-5:10:93",
                         "path": [
                           {
                             "unquoted_string": {
-                              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,6:2:88-6:7:93",
+                              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,5:2:85-5:7:90",
                               "value": [
                                 {
                                   "string": "disks",
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@
                           },
                           {
                             "unquoted_string": {
-                              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,6:8:94-6:10:96",
+                              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,5:8:91-5:10:93",
                               "value": [
                                 {
                                   "string": "id",
@@ -199,16 +199,16 @@
                   },
                   {
                     "map_key": {
-                      "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,8:2:100-8:27:125",
+                      "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,7:2:97-7:27:122",
                       "edges": [
                         {
-                          "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,8:2:100-8:27:125",
+                          "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,7:2:97-7:27:122",
                           "src": {
-                            "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,8:2:100-8:19:117",
+                            "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,7:2:97-7:19:114",
                             "path": [
                               {
                                 "unquoted_string": {
-                                  "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,8:2:100-8:18:116",
+                                  "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,7:2:97-7:18:113",
                                   "value": [
                                     {
                                       "string": "AWS S3 Vancouver",
@@ -221,11 +221,11 @@
                           },
                           "src_arrow": "",
                           "dst": {
-                            "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,8:21:119-8:27:125",
+                            "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,7:21:116-7:27:122",
                             "path": [
                               {
                                 "unquoted_string": {
-                                  "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,8:22:120-8:27:125",
+                                  "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,7:22:117-7:27:122",
                                   "value": [
                                     {
                                       "string": "disks",
@@ -389,11 +389,11 @@
           },
           {
             "key": {
-              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,6:2:88-6:10:96",
+              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,5:2:85-5:10:93",
               "path": [
                 {
                   "unquoted_string": {
-                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,6:2:88-6:7:93",
+                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,5:2:85-5:7:90",
                     "value": [
                       {
                         "string": "disks",
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@
                 },
                 {
                   "unquoted_string": {
-                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,6:8:94-6:10:96",
+                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,5:8:91-5:10:93",
                     "value": [
                       {
                         "string": "id",
@@ -420,11 +420,11 @@
           },
           {
             "key": {
-              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,8:21:119-8:27:125",
+              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,7:21:116-7:27:122",
               "path": [
                 {
                   "unquoted_string": {
-                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,8:22:120-8:27:125",
+                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,7:22:117-7:27:122",
                     "value": [
                       {
                         "string": "disks",
@@ -499,11 +499,11 @@
         "references": [
           {
             "key": {
-              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,8:2:100-8:19:117",
+              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,7:2:97-7:19:114",
               "path": [
                 {
                   "unquoted_string": {
-                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,8:2:100-8:18:116",
+                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/shape_sql_table.d2,7:2:97-7:18:113",
                     "value": [
                       {
                         "string": "AWS S3 Vancouver",
diff --git a/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/table_refs.exp.json b/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/table_refs.exp.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2925b06d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/table_refs.exp.json
@@ -0,0 +1,269 @@
+{
+  "graph": {
+    "name": "",
+    "isFolderOnly": false,
+    "ast": {
+      "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/table_refs.d2,0:0:0-5:0:34",
+      "nodes": [
+        {
+          "map_key": {
+            "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/table_refs.d2,0:0:0-3:1:29",
+            "key": {
+              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/table_refs.d2,0:0:0-0:1:1",
+              "path": [
+                {
+                  "unquoted_string": {
+                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/table_refs.d2,0:0:0-0:1:1",
+                    "value": [
+                      {
+                        "string": "c",
+                        "raw_string": "c"
+                      }
+                    ]
+                  }
+                }
+              ]
+            },
+            "primary": {},
+            "value": {
+              "map": {
+                "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/table_refs.d2,0:3:3-3:0:28",
+                "nodes": [
+                  {
+                    "map_key": {
+                      "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/table_refs.d2,1:2:7-1:18:23",
+                      "key": {
+                        "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/table_refs.d2,1:2:7-1:7:12",
+                        "path": [
+                          {
+                            "unquoted_string": {
+                              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/table_refs.d2,1:2:7-1:7:12",
+                              "value": [
+                                {
+                                  "string": "shape",
+                                  "raw_string": "shape"
+                                }
+                              ]
+                            }
+                          }
+                        ]
+                      },
+                      "primary": {},
+                      "value": {
+                        "unquoted_string": {
+                          "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/table_refs.d2,1:9:14-1:18:23",
+                          "value": [
+                            {
+                              "string": "sql_table",
+                              "raw_string": "sql_table"
+                            }
+                          ]
+                        }
+                      }
+                    }
+                  },
+                  {
+                    "map_key": {
+                      "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/table_refs.d2,2:2:26-2:3:27",
+                      "key": {
+                        "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/table_refs.d2,2:2:26-2:3:27",
+                        "path": [
+                          {
+                            "unquoted_string": {
+                              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/table_refs.d2,2:2:26-2:3:27",
+                              "value": [
+                                {
+                                  "string": "d",
+                                  "raw_string": "d"
+                                }
+                              ]
+                            }
+                          }
+                        ]
+                      },
+                      "primary": {},
+                      "value": {}
+                    }
+                  }
+                ]
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        },
+        {
+          "map_key": {
+            "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/table_refs.d2,4:0:30-4:3:33",
+            "key": {
+              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/table_refs.d2,4:0:30-4:3:33",
+              "path": [
+                {
+                  "unquoted_string": {
+                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/table_refs.d2,4:0:30-4:1:31",
+                    "value": [
+                      {
+                        "string": "c",
+                        "raw_string": "c"
+                      }
+                    ]
+                  }
+                },
+                {
+                  "unquoted_string": {
+                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/table_refs.d2,4:2:32-4:3:33",
+                    "value": [
+                      {
+                        "string": "d",
+                        "raw_string": "d"
+                      }
+                    ]
+                  }
+                }
+              ]
+            },
+            "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": "c",
+        "id_val": "c",
+        "label_dimensions": {
+          "width": 0,
+          "height": 0
+        },
+        "references": [
+          {
+            "key": {
+              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/table_refs.d2,0:0:0-0:1:1",
+              "path": [
+                {
+                  "unquoted_string": {
+                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/table_refs.d2,0:0:0-0:1:1",
+                    "value": [
+                      {
+                        "string": "c",
+                        "raw_string": "c"
+                      }
+                    ]
+                  }
+                }
+              ]
+            },
+            "key_path_index": 0,
+            "map_key_edge_index": -1
+          },
+          {
+            "key": {
+              "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/table_refs.d2,4:0:30-4:3:33",
+              "path": [
+                {
+                  "unquoted_string": {
+                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/table_refs.d2,4:0:30-4:1:31",
+                    "value": [
+                      {
+                        "string": "c",
+                        "raw_string": "c"
+                      }
+                    ]
+                  }
+                },
+                {
+                  "unquoted_string": {
+                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2oracle/TestDelete/table_refs.d2,4:2:32-4:3:33",
+                    "value": [
+                      {
+                        "string": "d",
+                        "raw_string": "d"
+                      }
+                    ]
+                  }
+                }
+              ]
+            },
+            "key_path_index": 0,
+            "map_key_edge_index": -1
+          }
+        ],
+        "sql_table": {
+          "columns": [
+            {
+              "name": {
+                "label": "d",
+                "fontSize": 0,
+                "fontFamily": "",
+                "language": "",
+                "color": "",
+                "italic": false,
+                "bold": false,
+                "underline": false,
+                "labelWidth": 0,
+                "labelHeight": 0
+              },
+              "type": {
+                "label": "",
+                "fontSize": 0,
+                "fontFamily": "",
+                "language": "",
+                "color": "",
+                "italic": false,
+                "bold": false,
+                "underline": false,
+                "labelWidth": 0,
+                "labelHeight": 0
+              },
+              "constraint": "",
+              "reference": ""
+            }
+          ]
+        },
+        "attributes": {
+          "label": {
+            "value": "c"
+          },
+          "style": {},
+          "near_key": null,
+          "shape": {
+            "value": "sql_table"
+          },
+          "direction": {
+            "value": ""
+          },
+          "constraint": {
+            "value": ""
+          }
+        },
+        "zIndex": 0
+      }
+    ]
+  },
+  "err": "<nil>"
+}