diff --git a/Sources/AutomergeRepo/Repo.swift b/Sources/AutomergeRepo/Repo.swift
index f96ffbd..933621b 100644
--- a/Sources/AutomergeRepo/Repo.swift
+++ b/Sources/AutomergeRepo/Repo.swift
@@ -402,6 +402,11 @@ public final class Repo {
                 _ = try await resolveDocHandle(id: docId)
             }
             guard let handle = handles[docId] else { fatalError("HANDLE DOESN'T EXIST") }
+            if handle.state == .deleted {
+                // if the handle is marked as `deleted`, then the document has been removed from this
+                // repository and shouldn't be updated or re-created.
+                return
+            }
             if logLevel(.repo).canTrace() {
                 Logger.repo.trace("REPO:  - working on handle for \(docId), state: \(String(describing: handle.state))")
             }
@@ -452,7 +457,7 @@ public final class Repo {
                 )
             return
         }
-        if handles[docId] != nil {
+        if let internalHandle = handles[docId], internalHandle.state != .deleted {
             // If we have the document, see if we're agreeable to sending a copy
             if await sharePolicy.share(peer: msg.senderId, docId: docId) {
                 do {
diff --git a/Tests/AutomergeRepoTests/TwoReposWithInMemoryNetworkTests.swift b/Tests/AutomergeRepoTests/TwoReposWithInMemoryNetworkTests.swift
index 1878d40..93c6232 100644
--- a/Tests/AutomergeRepoTests/TwoReposWithInMemoryNetworkTests.swift
+++ b/Tests/AutomergeRepoTests/TwoReposWithInMemoryNetworkTests.swift
@@ -271,35 +271,6 @@ final class TwoReposWithInMemoryNetworkTests: XCTestCase {
             print(errMsg)
         }
     }
-//
-//    func testDelete() async throws {
-//        let myId = DocumentId()
-//        let _ = try await repo.create(id: myId)
-//        var knownIds = await repo.documentIds()
-//        XCTAssertEqual(knownIds.count, 1)
-//
-//        try await repo.delete(id: myId)
-//        knownIds = await repo.documentIds()
-//        XCTAssertEqual(knownIds.count, 0)
-//
-//        do {
-//            let _ = try await repo.find(id: DocumentId())
-//            XCTFail()
-//        } catch {}
-//    }
-//
-//    func testClone() async throws {
-//        let myId = DocumentId()
-//        let handle = try await repo.create(id: myId)
-//        XCTAssertEqual(myId, handle.id)
-//
-//        let clonedHandle = try await repo.clone(id: myId)
-//        XCTAssertNotEqual(handle.id, clonedHandle.id)
-//        XCTAssertNotEqual(handle.doc.actor, clonedHandle.doc.actor)
-//
-//        let knownIds = await repo.documentIds()
-//        XCTAssertEqual(knownIds.count, 2)
-//    }
 
     // TBD:
     // - func storageIdForPeer(peerId) -> StorageId