diff --git a/src/fontra_rcjk/backend_fs.py b/src/fontra_rcjk/backend_fs.py
index b2fc057..7830347 100644
--- a/src/fontra_rcjk/backend_fs.py
+++ b/src/fontra_rcjk/backend_fs.py
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ def getGlyphSetForGlyph(self, glyphName):
             return self.characterGlyphGlyphSet
 
     async def getGlyphMap(self):
-        return self._glyphMap
+        return dict(self._glyphMap)
 
     async def getGlobalAxes(self):
         axes = getattr(self, "_globalAxes", None)
@@ -142,6 +142,16 @@ async def putGlyph(self, glyphName, glyph, unicodes):
         self._glyphMap[glyphName] = unicodes
         self._tempGlyphCache[glyphName] = layerGlyphs
 
+    async def deleteGlyph(self, glyphName):
+        if glyphName not in self._glyphMap:
+            raise KeyError(f"Glyph '{glyphName}' does not exist")
+
+        for gs, _ in self._iterGlyphSets():
+            if glyphName in gs:
+                gs.deleteGlyph(glyphName)
+
+        del self._glyphMap[glyphName]
+
     async def getFontLib(self):
         fontLib = {}
         libPath = self.path / "fontLib.json"
@@ -270,3 +280,18 @@ def putGlyphLayerData(self, glyphName, glyphLayerData):
             layerPath.unlink(missing_ok=True)
             self.registerWrittenPath(layerPath, deleted=True)
             del layerContents[mainFileName]
+
+    def deleteGlyph(self, glyphName):
+        mainPath = self.contents[glyphName]
+        del self.contents[glyphName]
+        pathsToDelete = [mainPath]
+        mainFileName = mainPath.name
+        for layerName, layerContents in self.layers.items():
+            layerPath = layerContents.get(mainFileName)
+            if layerPath is not None:
+                pathsToDelete.append(layerPath)
+                del layerContents[mainFileName]
+        for layerPath in pathsToDelete:
+            layerPath.unlink()
+            self.registerWrittenPath(layerPath, deleted=True)
+        del self.glyphMap[glyphName]
diff --git a/src/fontra_rcjk/backend_mysql.py b/src/fontra_rcjk/backend_mysql.py
index 653f68e..8ad85ce 100644
--- a/src/fontra_rcjk/backend_mysql.py
+++ b/src/fontra_rcjk/backend_mysql.py
@@ -241,6 +241,7 @@ async def _newGlyph(self, glyphName, unicodes):
         # with a lock acquired. Our dummy glyph has to have a glyph name, but
         # we're setting .width to an arbitrary positive value so we can still
         # see it if anything goes wrong.
+        logger.info(f"Creating new glyph '{glyphName}'")
         dummyGlyph = GLIFGlyph()
         dummyGlyph.name = glyphName
         dummyGlyph.unicodes = unicodes
@@ -254,6 +255,26 @@ async def _newGlyph(self, glyphName, unicodes):
         self._rcjkGlyphInfo[glyphName] = ("CG", glyphID)
         self._glyphTimeStamps[glyphName] = getUpdatedTimeStamp(response["data"])
 
+    async def deleteGlyph(self, glyphName):
+        if glyphName not in self._rcjkGlyphInfo:
+            raise KeyError(f"Glyph '{glyphName}' does not exist")
+
+        logger.info(f"Deleting glyph '{glyphName}'")
+
+        _ = await self._callGlyphMethod(glyphName, "lock", return_data=False)
+        try:
+            _ = await self._callGlyphMethod(glyphName, "delete")
+        except Exception:
+            _ = await self._callGlyphMethod(glyphName, "unlock", return_data=False)
+            raise
+
+        # We set the time stamp to None so we can later distinguish "we deleted this
+        # glyph" from "this glyph was externally deleted"
+        self._glyphTimeStamps[glyphName] = None
+        del self._rcjkGlyphInfo[glyphName]
+        del self._glyphMap[glyphName]
+        self._glyphCache.pop(glyphName, None)
+
     async def _callGlyphMethod(self, glyphName, methodName, *args, **kwargs):
         typeCode, glyphID = self._rcjkGlyphInfo.get(glyphName, ("CG", None))
         assert glyphID is not None
@@ -303,6 +324,9 @@ async def _pollOnceForChanges(self):
         for glyphInfo in responseData.get("deleted_glifs", []):
             glyphName = glyphInfo["name"]
             if not glyphInfo["group_name"]:
+                if self._glyphTimeStamps.get(glyphName) is None:
+                    # We made this change ourselves
+                    continue
                 logger.info(f"Found deleted glyph {glyphName}")
                 glyphMapUpdates[glyphName] = None
                 del self._glyphMap[glyphName]
diff --git a/tests/test_font.py b/tests/test_font.py
index 2f60ccb..7da8c32 100644
--- a/tests/test_font.py
+++ b/tests/test_font.py
@@ -1017,3 +1017,26 @@ async def test_writeMixClassicAndVariableComponents(writableTestFont):
         mainGlifPath = writableTestFont.path / "characterGlyph" / "b.glif"
         glifData = mainGlifPath.read_text()
         assert expectedWriteMixedComponentTestData == glifData.splitlines()
+
+
+async def test_deleteGlyph(writableTestFont):
+    glyphName = "eight_00"
+    with contextlib.closing(writableTestFont):
+        glyphMap = await writableTestFont.getGlyphMap()
+        assert glyphName in glyphMap
+        glyphPaths = list(writableTestFont.path.glob(f"**/{glyphName}.glif"))
+        assert len(glyphPaths) == 3
+
+        await writableTestFont.deleteGlyph(glyphName)
+
+        glyphMap = await writableTestFont.getGlyphMap()
+        assert glyphName not in glyphMap
+        glyphPaths = list(writableTestFont.path.glob(f"**/{glyphName}.glif"))
+        assert len(glyphPaths) == 0
+
+
+async def test_deleteGlyphRaisesKeyError(writableTestFont):
+    glyphName = "A.doesnotexist"
+    with contextlib.closing(writableTestFont):
+        with pytest.raises(KeyError, match="Glyph 'A.doesnotexist' does not exist"):
+            await writableTestFont.deleteGlyph(glyphName)