diff --git a/admission/webhook/validator.go b/admission/webhook/validator.go
index 5a878ed0..867a011a 100644
--- a/admission/webhook/validator.go
+++ b/admission/webhook/validator.go
@@ -199,7 +199,8 @@ func (av *AdmissionValidator) Validate(ctx context.Context, attrs admission.Attr
 		telemetry.Admission(ctx, "unmatched_kind", 0)
 		return nil
 	}
-	if attrs.GetObject() == nil {
+	// A DELETE carries the deleted object as the old object and no object.
+	if attrs.GetObject() == nil && attrs.GetOldObject() == nil {
 		telemetry.Admission(ctx, "empty", 0)
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -283,7 +284,12 @@ func (av *AdmissionValidator) evaluate(ctx context.Context, attrs admission.Attr
 			return
 		}
 	} else {
-		un, ok := attrs.GetObject().(*unstructured.Unstructured)
+		admitted := attrs.GetObject()
+		if admitted == nil {
+			// DELETE: the rules apply to the object being deleted.
+			admitted = attrs.GetOldObject()
+		}
+		un, ok := admitted.(*unstructured.Unstructured)
 		if !ok {
 			logger.L().Warning("admission worker: object is not unstructured",
 				helpers.String("kind", attrs.GetKind().Kind))
diff --git a/admission/webhook/validator_delete_test.go b/admission/webhook/validator_delete_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fa2e7bc5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/admission/webhook/validator_delete_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+package webhook
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/kubescape/operator/admission/rules"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1/unstructured"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime/schema"
+	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/admission"
+	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authentication/user"
+)
+
+// recordingRuleBindingCache keeps the object each evaluation asked rules for.
+type recordingRuleBindingCache struct {
+	objects chan *unstructured.Unstructured
+}
+
+func (c *recordingRuleBindingCache) ListRulesForObject(_ context.Context, object *unstructured.Unstructured) []rules.RuleEvaluator {
+	c.objects <- object
+	return nil
+}
+
+// TestValidator_DeleteIsEvaluatedWithTheDeletedObject checks that a DELETE request reaches
+// rule evaluation. The API server sends the deleted object as the old object and no object,
+// so dropping every request without an object dropped every DELETE, although the chart
+// subscribes the webhook to DELETE and the CEL event exposes it as oldObject.
+func TestValidator_DeleteIsEvaluatedWithTheDeletedObject(t *testing.T) {
+	cache := &recordingRuleBindingCache{objects: make(chan *unstructured.Unstructured, 1)}
+	av := newTestValidator(cache)
+	av.SetWorkerPool(1, 4)
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	defer cancel()
+	av.Start(ctx)
+
+	gvk := schema.GroupVersionKind{Group: "rbac.authorization.k8s.io", Version: "v1", Kind: "ClusterRoleBinding"}
+	gvr := schema.GroupVersionResource{Group: "rbac.authorization.k8s.io", Version: "v1", Resource: "clusterrolebindings"}
+	deleted := &unstructured.Unstructured{Object: map[string]interface{}{
+		"apiVersion": "rbac.authorization.k8s.io/v1",
+		"kind":       "ClusterRoleBinding",
+		"metadata":   map[string]interface{}{"name": "admins"},
+	}}
+	attrs := admission.NewAttributesRecord(nil, deleted, gvk, "", "admins", gvr, "",
+		admission.Delete, nil, false, &user.DefaultInfo{Name: "kubernetes-admin"})
+
+	require.NoError(t, av.Validate(ctx, attrs, nil))
+
+	select {
+	case object := <-cache.objects:
+		assert.Equal(t, "admins", object.GetName(), "rules must be looked up for the deleted object")
+	case <-time.After(2 * time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("the DELETE request never reached rule evaluation")
+	}
+}