diff --git a/app/models/classification.rb b/app/models/classification.rb
index d42d03ff1ea3..06ca4610aa24 100644
--- a/app/models/classification.rb
+++ b/app/models/classification.rb
@@ -529,7 +529,14 @@ def save_tag
   end
 
   def delete_all_entries
-    entries.each(&:delete_tag_and_taggings)
+    entries.each do |e|
+      e.delete_assignments
+      e.delete_tag_and_taggings
+    end
+  end
+
+  def delete_assignments
+    AssignmentMixin.all_assignments(tag.name).destroy_all
   end
 
   def delete_tag_and_taggings
@@ -540,7 +547,12 @@ def delete_tag_and_taggings
   end
 
   def delete_tags_and_entries
-    delete_all_entries    if category?
+    if category?
+      delete_all_entries
+    else # entry
+      delete_assignments
+    end
+
     delete_tag_and_taggings
   end
 end
diff --git a/app/models/mixins/assignment_mixin.rb b/app/models/mixins/assignment_mixin.rb
index 7567e95f0d57..0d80aaee44d7 100644
--- a/app/models/mixins/assignment_mixin.rb
+++ b/app/models/mixins/assignment_mixin.rb
@@ -3,6 +3,15 @@
 module AssignmentMixin
   extend ActiveSupport::Concern
   ESCAPED_PREFIX = "escaped".freeze
+  NAMESPACE_SUFFIX = "assigned_to".freeze
+
+  def all_assignments(tag = nil)
+    scope = Tag.where(["name LIKE ?", "%/#{AssignmentMixin::NAMESPACE_SUFFIX}/%"])
+    scope = scope.where(["name LIKE ?", "%#{tag}"]) if tag.present?
+
+    scope
+  end
+  module_function :all_assignments
 
   included do  #:nodoc:
     acts_as_miq_taggable
@@ -188,7 +197,7 @@ def get_assigned_for_target(target, options = {})
     end
 
     def namespace
-      "/#{base_model.name.underscore}/assigned_to"
+      "/#{base_model.name.underscore}/#{NAMESPACE_SUFFIX}"
     end
   end # module ClassMethods
 end # module AssignmentMixin
diff --git a/spec/models/classification_spec.rb b/spec/models/classification_spec.rb
index 3153e7a5267c..cebb3ba4fac9 100644
--- a/spec/models/classification_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/classification_spec.rb
@@ -61,14 +61,56 @@
       FactoryGirl.create(:classification_tag,      :name => "multi_entry_2", :parent => parent)
     end
 
-    it "#destroy" do
-      cat = Classification.find_by_name("test_category")
-      expect(cat).to_not be_nil
-      entries = cat.entries
-      expect(entries.length).to eq(2)
+    context "#destroy" do
+      it "a category deletes all entries" do
+        cat = Classification.find_by_name("test_category")
+        expect(cat).to_not be_nil
+        entries = cat.entries
+        expect(entries.length).to eq(2)
+
+        cat.destroy
+        entries.each { |e| expect(Classification.find_by(:id => e.id)).to be_nil }
+      end
+
+      it "a category deletes assignments referenced by its entries" do
+        cat = Classification.find_by_name("test_category")
+        assignment_tag = "/chargeback_rate/assigned_to/vm/tag/managed/test_category/test_entry"
+
+        Tag.create!(:name => assignment_tag)
+        expect(Tag.exists?(:name => assignment_tag)).to be true
+
+        cat.destroy
+
+        expect(Tag.exists?(:name => assignment_tag)).to be false
+      end
 
-      cat.destroy
-      entries.each { |e| expect(Classification.find_by(:id => e.id)).to be_nil }
+      it "a category does not delete assignments that are close but do not match its tag" do
+        cat = Classification.find_by_name("test_category")
+        assignment_tag = "/chargeback_rate/assigned_to/vm/tag/managed/test_category/test_entry"
+        another_tag1 = Tag.create(:name => "/policy_set/assigned_to/vm/tag/managed/test_category/test_entry1")
+        another_tag2 = Tag.create(:name => "/chargeback_rate/assigned_to/vm/tag/managed/test_category1/test_entry")
+
+        Tag.create!(:name => assignment_tag)
+
+        cat.destroy
+
+        expect(Tag.exists?(:name => assignment_tag)).to be false
+        expect(Tag.exists?(:name => another_tag1.name)).to be true
+        expect(Tag.exists?(:name => another_tag2.name)).to be true
+      end
+
+      it "an entry deletes assignments where its tag is referenced" do
+        cat = Classification.find_by_name("test_category")
+        ent = cat.entries.find { |e| e.name == "test_entry" }
+        assignment_tag = "/chargeback_rate/assigned_to/vm/tag/managed/test_category/test_entry"
+
+        Tag.create!(:name => assignment_tag)
+        expect(Tag.exists?(:name => assignment_tag)).to be true
+
+        ent.destroy
+
+        expect(Tag.exists?(:name => assignment_tag)).to be false
+      end
     end
 
     it "should test setup data" do
diff --git a/spec/models/mixins/assignment_mixin_spec.rb b/spec/models/mixins/assignment_mixin_spec.rb
index 77331bbd5a85..4c6a8c505955 100644
--- a/spec/models/mixins/assignment_mixin_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/mixins/assignment_mixin_spec.rb
@@ -25,6 +25,24 @@
     end
   end
 
+  describe ".all_assignments" do
+    it "returns only tags representing assignments" do
+      t1 = Tag.create(:name => "/chargeback_rate/assigned_to/vm/tag/managed/environment/any1")
+      Tag.create(:name => "/something/with_the same_tag/vm/tag/managed/environment/any1")
+
+      expect(described_class.all_assignments.all).to eq([t1])
+    end
+
+    it "returns only tags representing assignments that match tag in argument" do
+      Tag.create(:name => "/chargeback_rate/assigned_to/vm/tag/managed/environment/any1")
+      t2 = Tag.create(:name => "/chargeback_rate/assigned_to/vm/tag/managed/environment/any2")
+
+      expect(
+        described_class.all_assignments("/chargeback_rate/assigned_to/vm/tag/managed/environment/any2").all
+      ).to eq([t2])
+    end
+  end
+
   private
 
   # creates a tag e.g. "/managed/environment/test"