diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0af28c85..483e8647 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -133,6 +133,7 @@ type Comment struct {
     Votes     map[string]bool `json:"votes"`   // comment votes, read only
     Timestamp time.Time       `json:"time"`    // time stamp, read only
     Pin       bool            `json:"pin"`     // pinned status, read only
+    Delete    bool            `json:"delete"`  // delete status, read only
 }
 
 type Locator struct {
diff --git a/app/store/bolt.go b/app/store/bolt.go
index 597d989d..71181361 100644
--- a/app/store/bolt.go
+++ b/app/store/bolt.go
@@ -130,14 +130,31 @@ func (b *BoltDB) Delete(locator Locator, commentID string) error {
 	}
 
 	return bdb.Update(func(tx *bolt.Tx) error {
-		// delete from post bucket
+
+		// mark deleted from post bucket, but don't remove. Needed to keep tree
 		bucket := tx.Bucket([]byte(locator.URL))
 		if bucket == nil {
 			return errors.Errorf("no bucket %s in store", locator.URL)
 		}
-		if err := bucket.Delete([]byte(commentID)); err != nil {
-			return errors.Wrapf(err, "can't delete key %s from bucket %s", commentID, locator.URL)
+
+		comment, err := b.load(bucket, []byte(commentID))
+		if err != nil {
+			return errors.Wrapf(err, "can't load key %s from bucket %s", commentID, locator.URL)
 		}
+		// set deleted status and clear fields
+		comment.Deleted = true
+		comment.Text = "this comment was deleted"
+		comment.Score = 0
+		comment.Votes = map[string]bool{}
+		comment.Edit = nil
+
+		if err := b.save(bucket, []byte(commentID), comment); err != nil {
+			return errors.Wrapf(err, "can't save deleted comment for key %s from bucket %s", commentID, locator.URL)
+		}
+
+		// if err := bucket.Delete([]byte(commentID)); err != nil {
+		// 	return errors.Wrapf(err, "can't delete key %s from bucket %s", commentID, locator.URL)
+		// }
 
 		// delete from "last" bucket
 		bucket = tx.Bucket([]byte(lastBucketName))
diff --git a/app/store/bolt_test.go b/app/store/bolt_test.go
index 94b107e0..d08d08d5 100644
--- a/app/store/bolt_test.go
+++ b/app/store/bolt_test.go
@@ -40,12 +40,17 @@ func TestBoltDB_Delete(t *testing.T) {
 
 	res, err = b.Find(loc, "time")
 	assert.Nil(t, err)
-	assert.Equal(t, 1, len(res))
-	assert.Equal(t, "some text2", res[0].Text)
+	assert.Equal(t, 2, len(res))
+	assert.Equal(t, "this comment was deleted", res[0].Text)
+	assert.True(t, res[0].Deleted, "marked deleted")
+	assert.Equal(t, "some text2", res[1].Text)
+	assert.False(t, res[1].Deleted)
 
 	comments, err := b.Last("radio-t", 10)
 	assert.Nil(t, err)
-	assert.Equal(t, 1, len(comments), "only 1 left in last")
+	assert.Equal(t, 2, len(comments), "2 in last, nothing removed")
+	assert.Equal(t, "this comment was deleted", comments[1].Text)
+	assert.True(t, comments[1].Deleted, "marked deleted")
 }
 
 func TestBoltDB_Get(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/app/store/store.go b/app/store/store.go
index 32b5ab42..d58adff3 100644
--- a/app/store/store.go
+++ b/app/store/store.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ type Comment struct {
 	Timestamp time.Time       `json:"time"`
 	Pin       bool            `json:"pin,omitempty"`
 	Edit      *Edit           `json:"edit,omitempty"`
+	Deleted   bool            `json:"delete,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // Locator keeps site and url of the post