diff --git a/container/container_contract.go b/container/container_contract.go
index 4ce5776..37112ac 100644
--- a/container/container_contract.go
+++ b/container/container_contract.go
@@ -295,27 +295,14 @@ func Delete(containerID []byte, signature interop.Signature, token []byte) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	var ( // for invocation collection without notary
-		alphabet     []common.IRNode
-		nodeKey      []byte
-		alphabetCall bool
-	)
-
 	if notaryDisabled {
-		alphabet = common.AlphabetNodes()
-		nodeKey = common.InnerRingInvoker(alphabet)
-		alphabetCall = len(nodeKey) != 0
-	} else {
-		multiaddr := common.AlphabetAddress()
-		alphabetCall = runtime.CheckWitness(multiaddr)
-	}
+		alphabet := common.AlphabetNodes()
+		nodeKey := common.InnerRingInvoker(alphabet)
+		if len(nodeKey) == 0 {
+			runtime.Notify("containerDelete", containerID, signature, token)
+			return
+		}
 
-	if !alphabetCall {
-		runtime.Notify("containerDelete", containerID, signature, token)
-		return
-	}
-
-	if notaryDisabled {
 		threshold := len(alphabet)*2/3 + 1
 		id := common.InvokeID([]interface{}{containerID, signature}, []byte("delete"))
 
@@ -325,6 +312,11 @@ func Delete(containerID []byte, signature interop.Signature, token []byte) {
 		}
 
 		common.RemoveVotes(ctx, id)
+	} else {
+		multiaddr := common.AlphabetAddress()
+		if !runtime.CheckWitness(multiaddr) {
+			panic("delete: alphabet witness check failed")
+		}
 	}
 
 	key := append([]byte(nnsHasAliasKey), containerID...)
diff --git a/tests/container_test.go b/tests/container_test.go
index dcce848..2b77ce7 100644
--- a/tests/container_test.go
+++ b/tests/container_test.go
@@ -144,3 +144,31 @@ func TestContainerPut(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	})
 }
+
+func TestContainerDelete(t *testing.T) {
+	bc := NewChain(t)
+	h, balanceHash := prepareContainerContract(t, bc)
+
+	acc := NewAccount(t, bc)
+	c := dummyContainer(acc)
+
+	balanceMint(t, bc, acc, balanceHash, containerFee*1, []byte{})
+	tx := PrepareInvoke(t, bc, CommitteeAcc, h, "put",
+		c.value, c.sig, c.pub, c.token)
+	AddBlockCheckHalt(t, bc, tx)
+
+	tx = PrepareInvoke(t, bc, acc, h, "delete", c.id[:], c.sig, c.token)
+	AddBlock(t, bc, tx)
+	CheckFault(t, bc, tx.Hash(), "delete: alphabet witness check failed")
+
+	tx = PrepareInvoke(t, bc, CommitteeAcc, h, "delete", c.id[:], c.sig, c.token)
+	AddBlockCheckHalt(t, bc, tx)
+
+	tx = PrepareInvoke(t, bc, acc, h, "get", c.id[:])
+	CheckTestInvoke(t, bc, tx, stackitem.NewStruct([]stackitem.Item{
+		stackitem.NewBuffer([]byte{}),
+		stackitem.NewBuffer([]byte{}),
+		stackitem.NewBuffer([]byte{}),
+		stackitem.NewBuffer([]byte{}),
+	}))
+}