diff --git a/lib/cli.js b/lib/cli.js
index f9e016d..927b34a 100644
--- a/lib/cli.js
+++ b/lib/cli.js
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ CLI.prototype.do_instance_audit = require('./do_instance_audit');
 CLI.prototype.do_stop_instance = require('./do_startstop_instance')('stop');
 CLI.prototype.do_start_instance = require('./do_startstop_instance')('start');
 CLI.prototype.do_reboot_instance = require('./do_startstop_instance')('reboot');
-CLI.prototype.do_delete_instance = require('./do_delete_instance');
+CLI.prototype.do_delete_instance = require('./do_startstop_instance')('delete');
 CLI.prototype.do_ssh = require('./do_ssh');
 
 // Packages
diff --git a/lib/do_delete_instance.js b/lib/do_delete_instance.js
deleted file mode 100644
index e6d6ebd..0000000
--- a/lib/do_delete_instance.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,104 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Copyright 2015 Joyent Inc.
- *
- * `triton delete ...`
- */
-
-var common = require('./common');
-
-function do_delete_instance(subcmd, opts, args, callback) {
-    var self = this;
-
-    var now = Date.now();
-
-    if (opts.help) {
-        this.do_help('help', {}, [subcmd], callback);
-        return;
-    } else if (args.length !== 1) {
-        callback(new Error('invalid args: ' + args));
-        return;
-    }
-
-    var arg = args[0];
-    var uuid, alias;
-
-    if (common.isUUID(arg)) {
-        uuid = arg;
-        go1();
-    } else {
-        self.triton.getMachineByAlias(arg, function (err, machine) {
-            if (err) {
-                callback(err);
-                return;
-            }
-            alias = arg;
-            uuid = machine.id;
-            go1();
-        });
-    }
-
-    function go1() {
-        // called when "uuid" is set
-        self.triton.cloudapi.deleteMachine(uuid, function (err, body, res) {
-            if (err) {
-                callback(err);
-                return;
-            }
-
-            if (!opts.wait) {
-                if (alias)
-                    console.log('Deleted (async) instance %s (%s)', alias, uuid);
-                else
-                    console.log('Deleted (async) instance %s', uuid);
-                callback();
-                return;
-            }
-
-            self.triton.cloudapi.waitForMachineStates({
-                id: uuid,
-                states: ['deleted']
-            }, function (err, machine, res) {
-                if (res && res.statusCode === 410) {
-                    // gone... success!
-                    var dur = common.humanDurationFromMs(Date.now() - now);
-                    if (alias)
-                        console.log('Deleted instance %s (%s, %s)', alias, uuid, dur);
-                    else
-                        console.log('Deleted instance %s (%s)', uuid, dur);
-                    callback();
-                    return;
-                } else if (err) {
-                    callback(err);
-                    return;
-                }
-                callback(new Error('unknown state'));
-            });
-        });
-    }
-}
-
-do_delete_instance.aliases = ['delete'];
-
-do_delete_instance.help = [
-    'delete a single instance.',
-    '',
-    'Usage:',
-    '       {{name}} delete <alias|id>',
-    '',
-    '{{options}}'
-].join('\n');
-do_delete_instance.options = [
-    {
-        names: ['help', 'h'],
-        type: 'bool',
-        help: 'Show this help.'
-    },
-    {
-        names: ['wait', 'w'],
-        type: 'bool',
-        help: 'Wait for machine to be deleted.'
-    }
-];
-
-
-module.exports = do_delete_instance;
diff --git a/lib/do_startstop_instance.js b/lib/do_startstop_instance.js
index 823db96..0ef3da4 100644
--- a/lib/do_startstop_instance.js
+++ b/lib/do_startstop_instance.js
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ var assert = require('assert-plus');
 var common = require('./common');
 
 function do_startstop_instance(action) {
-    assert.ok(['start', 'stop', 'reboot'].indexOf(action) >= 0,
+    assert.ok(['start', 'stop', 'reboot', 'delete'].indexOf(action) >= 0,
         'invalid action');
 
     function _do_startstop_instance(subcmd, opts, args, callback) {
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ function do_startstop_instance(action) {
 
     _do_startstop_instance.aliases = [action];
     _do_startstop_instance.help = [
-        f('%s a single instance.', action),
+        f('%s a single instance.', common.capitalize(action)),
         f(''),
         f('Usage:'),
         f('       {{name}} %s <alias|id>', action),
@@ -62,6 +62,10 @@ function _do_instance(action, subcmd, opts, args, callback) {
             command = 'rebootMachine';
             state = 'running';
             break;
+        case 'delete':
+            command = 'deleteMachine';
+            state = 'deleted';
+            break;
     }
 
     if (opts.help) {
@@ -100,9 +104,11 @@ function _do_instance(action, subcmd, opts, args, callback) {
 
             if (!opts.wait) {
                 if (alias)
-                    console.log('%s (async) instance %s (%s)', common.capitalize(action), alias, uuid);
+                    console.log('%s (async) instance %s (%s)',
+                        common.capitalize(action), alias, uuid);
                 else
-                    console.log('%s (async) instance %s', common.capitalize(action), uuid);
+                    console.log('%s (async) instance %s',
+                        common.capitalize(action), uuid);
                 callback();
                 return;
             }
@@ -110,16 +116,22 @@ function _do_instance(action, subcmd, opts, args, callback) {
             self.triton.cloudapi.waitForMachineStates({
                 id: uuid,
                 states: [state]
-            }, function (err, machine) {
-                if (err) {
+            }, function (err, machine, res) {
+                if (action === 'delete' && res && res.statusCode === 410) {
+                    // this is success, fall through to bottom
+                } else if (err) {
                     callback(err);
                     return;
                 }
+
                 var dur = common.humanDurationFromMs(Date.now() - now);
                 if (alias)
-                    console.log('%s instance %s (%s, %s)', common.capitalize(action), alias, uuid, dur);
+                    console.log('%s instance %s (%s, %s)',
+                        common.capitalize(action), alias, uuid, dur);
                 else
-                    console.log('%s instance %s (%s)', common.capitalize(action), uuid, dur);
+                    console.log('%s instance %s (%s)',
+                        common.capitalize(action), uuid, dur);
+
                 callback();
             });
         });