diff --git a/src/Main/Base/Project/Src/Gui/Pads/ProjectBrowser/Commands/DefaultFileNodeCommands.cs b/src/Main/Base/Project/Src/Gui/Pads/ProjectBrowser/Commands/DefaultFileNodeCommands.cs
index b716d42e96..a87d9fa1be 100644
--- a/src/Main/Base/Project/Src/Gui/Pads/ProjectBrowser/Commands/DefaultFileNodeCommands.cs
+++ b/src/Main/Base/Project/Src/Gui/Pads/ProjectBrowser/Commands/DefaultFileNodeCommands.cs
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.SharpDevelop.Project.Commands
 	
 	public class ExcludeFileFromProject : AbstractMenuCommand
 	{
-		void ExcludeFileNode(FileNode fileNode)
+		public static void ExcludeFileNode(FileNode fileNode)
 		{
 			List<FileNode> dependentNodes = new List<FileNode>();
 			foreach (TreeNode subNode in fileNode.Nodes) {
@@ -60,15 +60,20 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.SharpDevelop.Project.Commands
 			}
 			dependentNodes.ForEach(ExcludeFileNode);
 			
+			bool isLink = fileNode.IsLink;
 			ProjectService.RemoveProjectItem(fileNode.Project, fileNode.ProjectItem);
-			fileNode.ProjectItem = null;
-			fileNode.FileNodeStatus = FileNodeStatus.None;
-			if (fileNode.Parent is ExtTreeNode) {
-				((ExtTreeNode)fileNode.Parent).UpdateVisibility();
+			if (isLink) {
+				fileNode.Remove();
+			} else {
+				fileNode.ProjectItem = null;
+				fileNode.FileNodeStatus = FileNodeStatus.None;
+				if (fileNode.Parent is ExtTreeNode) {
+					((ExtTreeNode)fileNode.Parent).UpdateVisibility();
+				}
 			}
 		}
 		
-		void ExcludeDirectoryNode(DirectoryNode directoryNode)
+		static void ExcludeDirectoryNode(DirectoryNode directoryNode)
 		{
 			if (directoryNode.ProjectItem != null) {
 				ProjectService.RemoveProjectItem(directoryNode.Project, directoryNode.ProjectItem);
diff --git a/src/Main/Base/Project/Src/Gui/Pads/ProjectBrowser/TreeNodes/FileNode.cs b/src/Main/Base/Project/Src/Gui/Pads/ProjectBrowser/TreeNodes/FileNode.cs
index a05641e275..66277dcb10 100644
--- a/src/Main/Base/Project/Src/Gui/Pads/ProjectBrowser/TreeNodes/FileNode.cs
+++ b/src/Main/Base/Project/Src/Gui/Pads/ProjectBrowser/TreeNodes/FileNode.cs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.SharpDevelop.Project
 		string         fileName       = String.Empty;
 		FileNodeStatus fileNodeStatus = FileNodeStatus.None;
 		ProjectItem    projectItem    = null;
-	
+		
 		public override bool Visible {
 			get {
 				return ShowAll || fileNodeStatus != FileNodeStatus.None;
@@ -199,20 +199,22 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.SharpDevelop.Project
 		
 		public override void Delete()
 		{
-			if (FileNodeStatus == FileNodeStatus.Missing) {
-				FileService.RemoveFile(FileName, false);
-				Project.Save();
-			} else {
-				if (Nodes.Count > 0) {
-					if (MessageService.AskQuestion(GetQuestionText("${res:ProjectComponent.ContextMenu.DeleteWithDependentFiles.Question}"))) {
-						DeleteChildNodes();
-						FileService.RemoveFile(FileName, false);
-						Project.Save();
-					}
-				} else if (MessageService.AskQuestion(GetQuestionText("${res:ProjectComponent.ContextMenu.Delete.Question}"))) {
+			if (Nodes.Count > 0) {
+				if (MessageService.AskQuestion(GetQuestionText("${res:ProjectComponent.ContextMenu.DeleteWithDependentFiles.Question}"))) {
+					DeleteChildNodes();
 					FileService.RemoveFile(FileName, false);
 					Project.Save();
 				}
+			} else if (!File.Exists(FileName)) {
+				FileService.RemoveFile(FileName, false);
+				Project.Save();
+			} else if (MessageService.AskQuestion(GetQuestionText("${res:ProjectComponent.ContextMenu.Delete.Question}"))) {
+				FileService.RemoveFile(FileName, false);
+				if (IsLink) {
+					// we need to manually remove the link
+					Commands.ExcludeFileFromProject.ExcludeFileNode(this);
+				}
+				Project.Save();
 			}
 		}