diff --git a/spring-cloud-contract-verifier/src/main/groovy/org/springframework/cloud/contract/verifier/util/JsonToJsonPathsConverter.groovy b/spring-cloud-contract-verifier/src/main/groovy/org/springframework/cloud/contract/verifier/util/JsonToJsonPathsConverter.groovy
index 460edae2a8..a6fdd9a1a3 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-contract-verifier/src/main/groovy/org/springframework/cloud/contract/verifier/util/JsonToJsonPathsConverter.groovy
+++ b/spring-cloud-contract-verifier/src/main/groovy/org/springframework/cloud/contract/verifier/util/JsonToJsonPathsConverter.groovy
@@ -163,7 +163,6 @@ class JsonToJsonPathsConverter {
 					containsOnlyEmptyElements(object)
 					&& isNotRootArray(matcherPath)) {
 				String pathToDelete = pathToDelete(pathWithoutAnyArray)
-				context.delete(pathToDelete)
 				if (pathToDelete.contains(DESCENDANT_OPERATOR)) {
 					Object root = context.read('$')
 					if (rootContainsEmptyContainers(root)) {
@@ -172,6 +171,8 @@ class JsonToJsonPathsConverter {
 						return false
 					}
 					return false
+				} else {
+					context.delete(pathToDelete)
 				}
 				return removeTrailingContainers(pathToDelete, context)
 			}