diff --git a/lib/Cake/Controller/Component/CookieComponent.php b/lib/Cake/Controller/Component/CookieComponent.php
index 5aeb5a36542..a8ad8bbbed5 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Controller/Component/CookieComponent.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Controller/Component/CookieComponent.php
@@ -316,20 +316,16 @@ public function delete($key) {
 			$this->read();
 		}
 		if (strpos($key, '.') === false) {
-			if (isset($this->_values[$this->name][$key]) && is_array($this->_values[$this->name][$key])) {
-				foreach ($this->_values[$this->name][$key] as $idx => $val) {
-					$this->_delete("[$key][$idx]");
-				}
-			}
-			$this->_delete("[$key]");
 			unset($this->_values[$this->name][$key]);
-			return;
-		}
-		$names = explode('.', $key, 2);
-		if (isset($this->_values[$this->name][$names[0]]) && is_array($this->_values[$this->name][$names[0]])) {
-			$this->_values[$this->name][$names[0]] = Hash::remove($this->_values[$this->name][$names[0]], $names[1]);
+			$this->_delete('[' . $key . ']');
+		} else {
+			$this->_values[$this->name] = Hash::remove((array)$this->_values[$this->name], $key);
+			list($key) = explode('.', $key, 2);
+			if (isset($this->_values[$this->name][$key])) {
+				$value = $this->_values[$this->name][$key];
+				$this->_write('[' . $key . ']', $value);
+			}
 		}
-		$this->_delete('[' . implode('][', $names) . ']');
 	}
 
 /**
@@ -347,14 +343,7 @@ public function destroy() {
 		}
 
 		foreach ($this->_values[$this->name] as $name => $value) {
-			if (is_array($value)) {
-				foreach ($value as $key => $val) {
-					unset($this->_values[$this->name][$name][$key]);
-					$this->_delete("[$name][$key]");
-				}
-			}
-			unset($this->_values[$this->name][$name]);
-			$this->_delete("[$name]");
+			$this->delete($name);
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/lib/Cake/Test/Case/Controller/Component/CookieComponentTest.php b/lib/Cake/Test/Case/Controller/Component/CookieComponentTest.php
index ea2f4998bd5..5524e3366c4 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Test/Case/Controller/Component/CookieComponentTest.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Test/Case/Controller/Component/CookieComponentTest.php
@@ -807,6 +807,89 @@ public function testDeleteChildrenNotExist() {
 		$this->assertNull($this->Cookie->delete('Not.Found'));
 	}
 
+/**
+ * Test deleting deep child elements sends correct cookies.
+ *
+ * @return void
+ */
+	public function testDeleteDeepChildren() {
+		$_COOKIE = array(
+			'CakeTestCookie' => array(
+				'foo' => $this->_encrypt(array(
+					'bar' => array(
+						'baz' => 'value',
+					),
+				)),
+			),
+		);
+
+		$this->Cookie->delete('foo.bar.baz');
+
+		$cookies = $this->Controller->response->cookie();
+		$expected = array(
+			'CakeTestCookie[foo]' => array(
+				'name' => 'CakeTestCookie[foo]',
+				'value' => '{"bar":[]}',
+				'path' => '/',
+				'domain' => '',
+				'secure' => false,
+				'httpOnly' => false
+			),
+		);
+
+		$expires = Hash::combine($cookies, '{*}.name', '{*}.expire');
+		$cookies = Hash::remove($cookies, '{*}.expire');
+		$this->assertEquals($expected, $cookies);
+
+		$this->assertWithinMargin($expires['CakeTestCookie[foo]'], time() + 10, 2);
+	}
+
+/**
+ * Test destroy works.
+ *
+ * @return void
+ */
+	public function testDestroy() {
+		$_COOKIE = array(
+			'CakeTestCookie' => array(
+				'foo' => $this->_encrypt(array(
+					'bar' => array(
+						'baz' => 'value',
+					),
+				)),
+				'other' => 'value',
+			),
+		);
+
+		$this->Cookie->destroy();
+
+		$cookies = $this->Controller->response->cookie();
+		$expected = array(
+			'CakeTestCookie[foo]' => array(
+				'name' => 'CakeTestCookie[foo]',
+				'value' => '',
+				'path' => '/',
+				'domain' => '',
+				'secure' => false,
+				'httpOnly' => false
+			),
+			'CakeTestCookie[other]' => array(
+				'name' => 'CakeTestCookie[other]',
+				'value' => '',
+				'path' => '/',
+				'domain' => '',
+				'secure' => false,
+				'httpOnly' => false
+			),
+		);
+
+		$expires = Hash::combine($cookies, '{*}.name', '{*}.expire');
+		$cookies = Hash::remove($cookies, '{*}.expire');
+		$this->assertEquals($expected, $cookies);
+		$this->assertWithinMargin($expires['CakeTestCookie[foo]'], time() - 42000, 2);
+		$this->assertWithinMargin($expires['CakeTestCookie[other]'], time() - 42000, 2);
+	}
+
 /**
  * Helper method for generating old style encoded cookie values.
  *