diff --git a/moto/dynamodb2/models.py b/moto/dynamodb2/models.py
index 45be1818f..d632119d9 100644
--- a/moto/dynamodb2/models.py
+++ b/moto/dynamodb2/models.py
@@ -677,7 +677,7 @@ class DynamoDBBackend(BaseBackend):
         return item
 
     def delete_item(self, table_name, keys):
-        table = self.tables.get(table_name)
+        table = self.get_table(table_name)
         if not table:
             return None
         hash_key, range_key = self.get_keys_value(table, keys)
diff --git a/moto/dynamodb2/responses.py b/moto/dynamodb2/responses.py
index 11d23a830..aa5561f58 100644
--- a/moto/dynamodb2/responses.py
+++ b/moto/dynamodb2/responses.py
@@ -450,18 +450,19 @@ class DynamoHandler(BaseResponse):
         name = self.body['TableName']
         keys = self.body['Key']
         return_values = self.body.get('ReturnValues', '')
-        item = dynamodb_backend2.delete_item(name, keys)
-        if item:
-            if return_values == 'ALL_OLD':
-                item_dict = item.to_json()
-            else:
-                item_dict = {'Attributes': {}}
-            item_dict['ConsumedCapacityUnits'] = 0.5
-            return dynamo_json_dump(item_dict)
-        else:
+        table = dynamodb_backend2.get_table(name)
+        if not table:
             er = 'com.amazonaws.dynamodb.v20120810#ConditionalCheckFailedException'
             return self.error(er)
 
+        item = dynamodb_backend2.delete_item(name, keys)
+        if item and return_values == 'ALL_OLD':
+            item_dict = item.to_json()
+        else:
+            item_dict = {'Attributes': {}}
+        item_dict['ConsumedCapacityUnits'] = 0.5
+        return dynamo_json_dump(item_dict)
+
     def update_item(self):
         name = self.body['TableName']
         key = self.body['Key']
diff --git a/tests/test_dynamodb2/test_dynamodb_table_with_range_key.py b/tests/test_dynamodb2/test_dynamodb_table_with_range_key.py
index cf7c958d3..e4a586cbb 100644
--- a/tests/test_dynamodb2/test_dynamodb_table_with_range_key.py
+++ b/tests/test_dynamodb2/test_dynamodb_table_with_range_key.py
@@ -316,7 +316,8 @@ def test_delete_item():
     response.should.equal(True)
 
     table.count().should.equal(0)
-    item.delete().should.equal(False)
+    # Deletes are idempotent
+    item.delete().should.equal(True)
 
 
 @requires_boto_gte("2.9")
diff --git a/tests/test_dynamodb2/test_dynamodb_table_without_range_key.py b/tests/test_dynamodb2/test_dynamodb_table_without_range_key.py
index e38194f36..4f08c5094 100644
--- a/tests/test_dynamodb2/test_dynamodb_table_without_range_key.py
+++ b/tests/test_dynamodb2/test_dynamodb_table_without_range_key.py
@@ -200,7 +200,8 @@ def test_delete_item():
 
     table.count().should.equal(0)
 
-    item.delete().should.equal(False)
+    # Deletes are idempotent and 'False' here would imply an error condition
+    item.delete().should.equal(True)
 
 
 @requires_boto_gte("2.9")