diff --git a/smack-extensions/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/pubsub/PubSubManager.java b/smack-extensions/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/pubsub/PubSubManager.java
index 2b92b1d5d..74e705030 100644
--- a/smack-extensions/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/pubsub/PubSubManager.java
+++ b/smack-extensions/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/pubsub/PubSubManager.java
@@ -471,10 +471,21 @@ public final class PubSubManager extends Manager {
      * @throws NoResponseException
      * @throws NotConnectedException
      * @throws InterruptedException
+     * @return <code>true</code> if this node existed and was deleted and <code>false</code> if this node did not exist.
      */
-    public void deleteNode(String nodeId) throws NoResponseException, XMPPErrorException, NotConnectedException, InterruptedException {
-        sendPubsubPacket(Type.set, new NodeExtension(PubSubElementType.DELETE, nodeId), PubSubElementType.DELETE.getNamespace());
+    public boolean deleteNode(String nodeId) throws NoResponseException, XMPPErrorException, NotConnectedException, InterruptedException {
+        boolean res = true;
+        try {
+            sendPubsubPacket(Type.set, new NodeExtension(PubSubElementType.DELETE, nodeId), PubSubElementType.DELETE.getNamespace());
+        } catch (XMPPErrorException e) {
+            if (e.getStanzaError().getCondition() == StanzaError.Condition.item_not_found) {
+                res = false;
+            } else {
+                throw e;
+            }
+        }
         nodeMap.remove(nodeId);
+        return res;
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/smack-openpgp/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/ox/util/OpenPgpPubSubUtil.java b/smack-openpgp/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/ox/util/OpenPgpPubSubUtil.java
index a2c8e6f0a..2cb53c8d3 100644
--- a/smack-openpgp/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/ox/util/OpenPgpPubSubUtil.java
+++ b/smack-openpgp/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/ox/util/OpenPgpPubSubUtil.java
@@ -224,20 +224,13 @@ public class OpenPgpPubSubUtil {
      * @throws SmackException.NotConnectedException if we are not connected.
      * @throws InterruptedException if the thread is interrupted.
      * @throws SmackException.NoResponseException if the server doesn't respond.
+     * @return <code>true</code> if the node existed and was deleted, <code>false</code> if the node did not exist.
      */
-    public static void deletePubkeysListNode(XMPPConnection connection)
+    public static boolean deletePubkeysListNode(XMPPConnection connection)
             throws XMPPException.XMPPErrorException, SmackException.NotConnectedException, InterruptedException,
             SmackException.NoResponseException {
         PubSubManager pm = PubSubManager.getInstance(connection, connection.getUser().asBareJid());
-        try {
-            pm.deleteNode(PEP_NODE_PUBLIC_KEYS);
-        } catch (XMPPException.XMPPErrorException e) {
-            if (e.getStanzaError().getCondition() == StanzaError.Condition.item_not_found) {
-                LOGGER.log(Level.FINE, "Node does not exist. No need to delete it.");
-            } else {
-                throw e;
-            }
-        }
+        return pm.deleteNode(PEP_NODE_PUBLIC_KEYS);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -250,20 +243,13 @@ public class OpenPgpPubSubUtil {
      * @throws SmackException.NotConnectedException if we are not connected.
      * @throws InterruptedException if the thread gets interrupted.
      * @throws SmackException.NoResponseException if the server doesn't respond.
+     * @return <code>true</code> if the node existed and was deleted, <code>false</code> if the node did not exist.
      */
-    public static void deletePublicKeyNode(XMPPConnection connection, OpenPgpV4Fingerprint fingerprint)
+    public static boolean deletePublicKeyNode(XMPPConnection connection, OpenPgpV4Fingerprint fingerprint)
             throws XMPPException.XMPPErrorException, SmackException.NotConnectedException, InterruptedException,
             SmackException.NoResponseException {
         PubSubManager pm = PubSubManager.getInstance(connection, connection.getUser().asBareJid());
-        try {
-            pm.deleteNode(PEP_NODE_PUBLIC_KEY(fingerprint));
-        } catch (XMPPException.XMPPErrorException e) {
-            if (e.getStanzaError().getCondition() == StanzaError.Condition.item_not_found) {
-                LOGGER.log(Level.FINE, "Node does not exist. No need to delete it.");
-            } else {
-                throw e;
-            }
-        }
+        return pm.deleteNode(PEP_NODE_PUBLIC_KEY(fingerprint));
     }
 
 
@@ -404,12 +390,13 @@ public class OpenPgpPubSubUtil {
      * @throws SmackException.NotConnectedException if we are not connected
      * @throws InterruptedException if the thread gets interrupted
      * @throws SmackException.NoResponseException if the server sends no response
+     * @return <code>true</code> if the node existed and was deleted, <code>false</code> if the node did not exist.
      */
-    public static void deleteSecretKeyNode(XMPPConnection connection)
+    public static boolean deleteSecretKeyNode(XMPPConnection connection)
             throws XMPPException.XMPPErrorException, SmackException.NotConnectedException, InterruptedException,
             SmackException.NoResponseException {
         PubSubManager pm = PubSubManager.getInstance(connection);
-        pm.deleteNode(PEP_NODE_SECRET_KEY);
+        return pm.deleteNode(PEP_NODE_SECRET_KEY);
     }
 
     /**