diff --git a/java/org/apache/catalina/servlets/WebdavServlet.java b/java/org/apache/catalina/servlets/WebdavServlet.java
index 37d125408ee6..adceaef97086 100644
--- a/java/org/apache/catalina/servlets/WebdavServlet.java
+++ b/java/org/apache/catalina/servlets/WebdavServlet.java
@@ -1235,6 +1235,7 @@ protected void doDelete(HttpServletRequest req, HttpServletResponse resp) throws
         WebResource resource = resources.getResource(path);
         if (!checkIfHeaders(req, resp, resource)) {
             resp.setStatus(HttpServletResponse.SC_PRECONDITION_FAILED);
+            return;
         }
         deleteResource(path, req, resp, true);
     }