diff --git a/packages/mui-base/src/AutocompleteUnstyled/useAutocomplete.js b/packages/mui-base/src/AutocompleteUnstyled/useAutocomplete.js
index e80bcd91913a09..75d9a8952e1c76 100644
--- a/packages/mui-base/src/AutocompleteUnstyled/useAutocomplete.js
+++ b/packages/mui-base/src/AutocompleteUnstyled/useAutocomplete.js
@@ -859,6 +859,16 @@ export default function useAutocomplete(props) {
             });
           }
           break;
+        case 'Delete':
+          if (multiple && !readOnly && inputValue === '' && value.length > 0 && focusedTag !== -1) {
+            const index = focusedTag;
+            const newValue = value.slice();
+            newValue.splice(index, 1);
+            handleValue(event, newValue, 'removeOption', {
+              option: value[index],
+            });
+          }
+          break;
         default:
       }
     }
diff --git a/packages/mui-material/src/Autocomplete/Autocomplete.test.js b/packages/mui-material/src/Autocomplete/Autocomplete.test.js
index 4ab7e72c573b00..f4282ecdfe31b0 100644
--- a/packages/mui-material/src/Autocomplete/Autocomplete.test.js
+++ b/packages/mui-material/src/Autocomplete/Autocomplete.test.js
@@ -486,6 +486,42 @@ describe('<Autocomplete />', () => {
       expect(textbox).toHaveFocus();
     });
 
+    it('deletes a focused tag when pressing the delete key', () => {
+      const handleChange = spy();
+      const options = ['one', 'two'];
+      render(
+        <Autocomplete
+          defaultValue={options}
+          options={options}
+          onChange={handleChange}
+          renderInput={(params) => <TextField {...params} autoFocus />}
+          multiple
+        />,
+      );
+      const textbox = screen.getByRole('combobox');
+      const [firstSelectedValue, secondSelectedValue] = screen.getAllByRole('button');
+
+      // check that no tags get deleted when the tag is not a focused tag
+      fireEvent.keyDown(textbox, { key: 'Delete' });
+
+      expect(handleChange.callCount).to.equal(0);
+      expect(textbox).toHaveFocus();
+
+      // expect on focused tag to delete when pressing delete key
+      fireEvent.keyDown(textbox, { key: 'ArrowLeft' });
+
+      expect(secondSelectedValue).toHaveFocus();
+
+      fireEvent.keyDown(secondSelectedValue, { key: 'ArrowLeft' });
+
+      expect(firstSelectedValue).toHaveFocus();
+
+      fireEvent.keyDown(firstSelectedValue, { key: 'Delete' });
+
+      expect(handleChange.callCount).to.equal(1);
+      expect(textbox).toHaveFocus();
+    });
+
     it('should keep listbox open on pressing left or right keys when inputValue is not empty', () => {
       const handleClose = spy();
       const options = ['one', 'two', 'three'];