diff --git a/src/items/items.resolver.ts b/src/items/items.resolver.ts
index ded1df4..68b46b6 100644
--- a/src/items/items.resolver.ts
+++ b/src/items/items.resolver.ts
@@ -57,4 +57,9 @@ export class ItemsResolver {
   async createItem(@Args('itemData') itemData: NewItemInput) {
     return this.itemsService.createItem(itemData);
   }
+
+  @Mutation((returns) => ItemModel)
+  async deleteItem(@Args('id', { type: () => ID }) itemId: string) {
+    return this.itemsService.deleteItem(itemId);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/items/items.service.ts b/src/items/items.service.ts
index c93dcee..b8a3765 100644
--- a/src/items/items.service.ts
+++ b/src/items/items.service.ts
@@ -117,4 +117,14 @@ export class ItemsService {
 
     return item;
   }
+
+  async deleteItem(id: string) {
+    const item = await this.itemRepository.findOne(this.eans.toID(id));
+    if (!item) {
+      return null;
+    }
+    // will fail if item has children
+    await this.itemRepository.remove(item);
+    return item;
+  }
 }