diff --git a/src/main/java/cz/cvut/kbss/termit/rest/VocabularyController.java b/src/main/java/cz/cvut/kbss/termit/rest/VocabularyController.java
index c4286bcbc..31590c906 100644
--- a/src/main/java/cz/cvut/kbss/termit/rest/VocabularyController.java
+++ b/src/main/java/cz/cvut/kbss/termit/rest/VocabularyController.java
@@ -351,9 +351,10 @@ public void removeVocabulary(@Parameter(description = ApiDoc.ID_LOCAL_NAME_DESCR
                                  @RequestParam(name = QueryParams.NAMESPACE,
                                                required = false) Optional<String> namespace) {
         final URI identifier = resolveIdentifier(namespace.orElse(config.getNamespace().getVocabulary()), localName);
-        final Vocabulary toRemove = vocabularyService.getReference(identifier);
-        vocabularyService.remove(toRemove);
-        LOG.debug("Vocabulary {} removed.", toRemove);
+        vocabularyService.find(identifier).ifPresent(toRemove -> {
+            vocabularyService.remove(toRemove);
+            LOG.debug("Vocabulary {} removed.", toRemove);
+        });
     }
 
     @Operation(description = "Validates the terms in a vocabulary with the specified identifier.")
diff --git a/src/main/java/cz/cvut/kbss/termit/service/repository/VocabularyRepositoryService.java b/src/main/java/cz/cvut/kbss/termit/service/repository/VocabularyRepositoryService.java
index cc71adacb..2b5512d84 100644
--- a/src/main/java/cz/cvut/kbss/termit/service/repository/VocabularyRepositoryService.java
+++ b/src/main/java/cz/cvut/kbss/termit/service/repository/VocabularyRepositoryService.java
@@ -265,6 +265,7 @@ public long getLastModified() {
 
     @PreAuthorize("@vocabularyAuthorizationService.canRemove(#instance)")
     @CacheEvict(allEntries = true)
+    @Transactional
     @Override
     public void remove(Vocabulary instance) {
         if (instance.getDocument() != null) {
diff --git a/src/test/java/cz/cvut/kbss/termit/rest/VocabularyControllerTest.java b/src/test/java/cz/cvut/kbss/termit/rest/VocabularyControllerTest.java
index afc335516..962756539 100644
--- a/src/test/java/cz/cvut/kbss/termit/rest/VocabularyControllerTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/cz/cvut/kbss/termit/rest/VocabularyControllerTest.java
@@ -265,9 +265,11 @@ void getByIdUsesSpecifiedNamespaceInsteadOfDefaultOneForResolvingIdentifier() th
     @Test
     void removeVocabularyReturns2xxForEmptyVocabulary() throws Exception {
         final Vocabulary vocabulary = Generator.generateVocabulary();
-        vocabulary.setUri(Generator.generateUri());
-        final String fragment = IdentifierResolver.extractIdentifierFragment(vocabulary.getUri());
-        mockMvc.perform(delete(PATH + "/" + fragment)).andExpect(status().is2xxSuccessful()).andReturn();
+        vocabulary.setUri(VOCABULARY_URI);
+        when(idResolverMock.resolveIdentifier(configMock.getNamespace().getVocabulary(), FRAGMENT))
+                .thenReturn(VOCABULARY_URI);
+        when(serviceMock.find(VOCABULARY_URI)).thenReturn(Optional.of(vocabulary));
+        mockMvc.perform(delete(PATH + "/" + FRAGMENT)).andExpect(status().is2xxSuccessful()).andReturn();
     }
 
     @Test
@@ -276,7 +278,10 @@ void removeVocabularyReturns4xxForNotRemovableVocabulary() throws Exception {
                .when(serviceMock).remove(any());
 
         final Vocabulary vocabulary = Generator.generateVocabulary();
-        vocabulary.setUri(Generator.generateUri());
+        vocabulary.setUri(VOCABULARY_URI);
+        when(idResolverMock.resolveIdentifier(configMock.getNamespace().getVocabulary(), FRAGMENT))
+                .thenReturn(VOCABULARY_URI);
+        when(serviceMock.find(vocabulary.getUri())).thenReturn(Optional.of(vocabulary));
         final String fragment = IdentifierResolver.extractIdentifierFragment(vocabulary.getUri());
         mockMvc.perform(delete(PATH + "/" + fragment)).andExpect(status().is4xxClientError()).andReturn();
     }
@@ -615,7 +620,7 @@ void updateAccessControlLevelThrowsBadRequestForRecordUriNotMatchingPath() throw
         record.setHolder(Generator.generateUserWithId());
 
         mockMvc.perform(put(PATH + "/" + FRAGMENT + "/acl/records/" + Generator.randomInt())
-                       .content(toJson(record)).contentType(MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON))
+                                .content(toJson(record)).contentType(MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON))
                .andExpect(status().isBadRequest());
         verify(serviceMock, never()).updateAccessControlLevel(any(Vocabulary.class), any(AccessControlRecord.class));
     }