diff --git a/public/index.html b/public/index.html
index a03a5d3..45e3d2a 100644
--- a/public/index.html
+++ b/public/index.html
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
             <thead><tr><th>property</th><th>value(s)</th></tr></thead>
             <tbody id="properties"></tbody>
           </table>
+          <button type="button" onclick="delete_part()">delete part (including children)</button>
         </div>
       </td>
     </tr>
diff --git a/public/partdb.js b/public/partdb.js
index 3c87109..11d4ad7 100644
--- a/public/partdb.js
+++ b/public/partdb.js
@@ -144,3 +144,24 @@ function select()
 	}
 }
 
+function delete_part()
+{
+	if (null == parts) {
+		return;
+	}
+	const results = document.getElementById('results');
+	if (results.selectedIndex < 0) {
+		return;
+	}
+	const part_selected = parseInt(results.options[results.selectedIndex].value);
+	const xhr = new XMLHttpRequest();
+	xhr.open('GET', '/delete/' + part_selected, true);
+	xhr.onload = function() {
+		search(); // refresh search
+	};
+	xhr.onerror = function() {
+		console.log("delete part failed");
+	};
+	xhr.send();
+	
+}
diff --git a/server.rb b/server.rb
index 85748c4..234bdc0 100755
--- a/server.rb
+++ b/server.rb
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ end
 get '/search/:terms' do
   terms = params['terms'].split(" ")
   terms.keep_if {|term| term.length >= 3}
-  halt 404 if terms.empty?
+  halt 400 if terms.empty?
   # search in names, description, and category
   statements = []
   statements << @db.prepare("SELECT id FROM part WHERE name LIKE ?")
@@ -177,3 +177,35 @@ get '/search/:terms' do
   parts.sort! {|x,y| x["name"] <=> y["name"]}
   parts.to_json
 end
+
+def delete_part(id)
+  # first delete all children
+  statement = @db.prepare("SELECT id FROM part WHERE family = ?")
+  statement.execute(id).each do |row|
+    puts "child: #{row['id']}"
+    delete_part(row['id'])
+    puts "deleted"
+  end
+  # delete all fields
+  statements = []
+  statements << @db.prepare("DELETE FROM property_value WHERE part = ?")
+  statements << @db.prepare("DELETE FROM assembly WHERE assembled = ?")
+  statements << @db.prepare("DELETE FROM assembly WHERE component = ?")
+  statements << @db.prepare("DELETE FROM drawing WHERE part = ?")
+  statements << @db.prepare("DELETE FROM attachment WHERE part = ?")
+  statements << @db.prepare("DELETE FROM distribution WHERE part = ?")
+  statements << @db.prepare("DELETE FROM property_value WHERE part = ?")
+  statements << @db.prepare("DELETE FROM inventory WHERE part = ?")
+  statements << @db.prepare("DELETE FROM part WHERE id = ?")
+  statements.each do |statement|
+    statement.execute(id)
+  end
+end
+
+get '/delete/:id' do
+  statement = @db.prepare("SELECT id FROM part WHERE id = ?")
+  result = statement.execute(params['id'])
+  halt 400 if result.to_a.empty?
+  delete_part(params['id'])
+  return 200
+end