diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/admin_api/admin_api_controller.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/admin_api/admin_api_controller.ex
index c09584fd1..9a12da027 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/admin_api/admin_api_controller.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/admin_api/admin_api_controller.ex
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.AdminAPI.AdminAPIController do
   alias Pleroma.User
   alias Pleroma.UserInviteToken
   alias Pleroma.Web.ActivityPub.ActivityPub
+  alias Pleroma.Web.ActivityPub.Builder
+  alias Pleroma.Web.ActivityPub.Pipeline
   alias Pleroma.Web.ActivityPub.Relay
   alias Pleroma.Web.ActivityPub.Utils
   alias Pleroma.Web.AdminAPI.AccountView
@@ -138,8 +140,15 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.AdminAPI.AdminAPIController do
   end
 
   def user_delete(%{assigns: %{user: admin}} = conn, %{"nicknames" => nicknames}) do
-    users = nicknames |> Enum.map(&User.get_cached_by_nickname/1)
-    User.delete(users)
+    users =
+      nicknames
+      |> Enum.map(&User.get_cached_by_nickname/1)
+
+    users
+    |> Enum.each(fn user ->
+      {:ok, delete_data, _} = Builder.delete(admin, user.ap_id)
+      Pipeline.common_pipeline(delete_data, local: true)
+    end)
 
     ModerationLog.insert_log(%{
       actor: admin,
diff --git a/test/web/admin_api/admin_api_controller_test.exs b/test/web/admin_api/admin_api_controller_test.exs
index c92715fab..35001ab4a 100644
--- a/test/web/admin_api/admin_api_controller_test.exs
+++ b/test/web/admin_api/admin_api_controller_test.exs
@@ -6,8 +6,9 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.AdminAPI.AdminAPIControllerTest do
   use Pleroma.Web.ConnCase
   use Oban.Testing, repo: Pleroma.Repo
 
-  import Pleroma.Factory
   import ExUnit.CaptureLog
+  import Mock
+  import Pleroma.Factory
 
   alias Pleroma.Activity
   alias Pleroma.Config
@@ -146,17 +147,26 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.AdminAPI.AdminAPIControllerTest do
     test "single user", %{admin: admin, conn: conn} do
       user = insert(:user)
 
-      conn =
-        conn
-        |> put_req_header("accept", "application/json")
-        |> delete("/api/pleroma/admin/users?nickname=#{user.nickname}")
+      with_mock Pleroma.Web.Federator,
+        publish: fn _ -> nil end do
+        conn =
+          conn
+          |> put_req_header("accept", "application/json")
+          |> delete("/api/pleroma/admin/users?nickname=#{user.nickname}")
 
-      log_entry = Repo.one(ModerationLog)
+        ObanHelpers.perform_all()
 
-      assert ModerationLog.get_log_entry_message(log_entry) ==
-               "@#{admin.nickname} deleted users: @#{user.nickname}"
+        refute User.get_by_nickname(user.nickname)
 
-      assert json_response(conn, 200) == [user.nickname]
+        log_entry = Repo.one(ModerationLog)
+
+        assert ModerationLog.get_log_entry_message(log_entry) ==
+                 "@#{admin.nickname} deleted users: @#{user.nickname}"
+
+        assert json_response(conn, 200) == [user.nickname]
+
+        assert called(Pleroma.Web.Federator.publish(:_))
+      end
     end
 
     test "multiple users", %{admin: admin, conn: conn} do