General fix

packages/block-editor/src/store/private-actions.js

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 /**
  * WordPress dependencies
  */
+import { isUnmodifiedBlock } from '@wordpress/blocks';
 import { Platform } from '@wordpress/element';
 
 const castArray = ( maybeArray ) =>
@@ -150,14 +151,27 @@ export const privateRemoveBlocks =
 			}
 		}
 
+		const blockOrder = select.getBlockOrder( rootClientId );
+		const removeRoot =
+			blockOrder.length === clientIds.length &&
+			isUnmodifiedBlock(
+				select.__unstableGetBlockWithoutInnerBlocks( rootClientId )
+			);
+
 		if ( selectPrevious ) {
-			dispatch.selectPreviousBlock( clientIds[ 0 ], selectPrevious );
+			dispatch.selectPreviousBlock(
+				removeRoot ? rootClientId : clientIds[ 0 ],
+				selectPrevious
+			);
 		}
 
 		// We're batching these two actions because an extra `undo/redo` step can
 		// be created, based on whether we insert a default block or not.
 		registry.batch( () => {
-			dispatch( { type: 'REMOVE_BLOCKS', clientIds } );
+			dispatch( {
+				type: 'REMOVE_BLOCKS',
+				clientIds: removeRoot ? [ rootClientId ] : clientIds,
+			} );
 			// To avoid a focus loss when removing the last block, assure there is
 			// always a default block if the last of the blocks have been removed.
 			dispatch( ensureDefaultBlock() );

test/e2e/specs/editor/blocks/list.spec.js

@@ -1220,6 +1220,21 @@ test.describe( 'List (@firefox)', () => {
 		);
 	} );
 
+	test( 'remove empty list graciously through UI', async ( {
+		editor,
+		page,
+	} ) => {
+		await editor.canvas
+			.locator( 'role=button[name="Add default block"i]' )
+			.click();
+		await page.keyboard.type( '* 1' );
+
+		await editor.clickBlockToolbarButton( 'Options' );
+		await page.getByRole( 'menuitem', { name: 'Delete' } ).click();
+
+		expect( await editor.getEditedPostContent() ).toBe( '' );
+	} );
+
 	test( 'should not change the contents when you change the list type to Ordered', async ( {
 		editor,
 		page,