diff --git a/physical/dynamodb.go b/physical/dynamodb.go
index 4c7cefbfe968..08d96648023b 100644
--- a/physical/dynamodb.go
+++ b/physical/dynamodb.go
@@ -317,11 +317,11 @@ func (d *DynamoDBBackend) Delete(key string) error {
 	prefixes := prefixes(key)
 	sort.Sort(sort.Reverse(sort.StringSlice(prefixes)))
 	for _, prefix := range prefixes {
-		items, err := d.List(prefix)
+		hasChildren, err := d.hasChildren(prefix)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		if len(items) == 1 {
+		if !hasChildren {
 			requests = append(requests, &dynamodb.WriteRequest{
 				DeleteRequest: &dynamodb.DeleteRequest{
 					Key: map[string]*dynamodb.AttributeValue{
@@ -378,6 +378,36 @@ func (d *DynamoDBBackend) List(prefix string) ([]string, error) {
 	return keys, nil
 }
 
+func (d *DynamoDBBackend) hasChildren(prefix string) (bool, error) {
+	defer metrics.MeasureSince([]string{"dynamodb", "list"}, time.Now())
+
+	prefix = strings.TrimSuffix(prefix, "/")
+
+	prefix = escapeEmptyPath(prefix)
+	queryInput := &dynamodb.QueryInput{
+		TableName:      aws.String(d.table),
+		ConsistentRead: aws.Bool(true),
+		KeyConditions: map[string]*dynamodb.Condition{
+			"Path": {
+				ComparisonOperator: aws.String("EQ"),
+				AttributeValueList: []*dynamodb.AttributeValue{{
+					S: aws.String(prefix),
+				}},
+			},
+		},
+		Limit: aws.Int64(2),
+	}
+
+	d.permitPool.Acquire()
+	defer d.permitPool.Release()
+
+	out, err := d.client.Query(queryInput)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+	return len(out.Items) > 1, nil
+}
+
 // LockWith is used for mutual exclusion based on the given key.
 func (d *DynamoDBBackend) LockWith(key, value string) (Lock, error) {
 	identity, err := uuid.GenerateUUID()