diff --git a/app/services/section/remove_service.rb b/app/services/section/remove_service.rb
index f1cc3c047..1fae5bace 100644
--- a/app/services/section/remove_service.rb
+++ b/app/services/section/remove_service.rb
@@ -20,6 +20,14 @@ def call
       minor_update: attributes.fetch(:minor_update, "0"),
       change_note: attributes.fetch(:change_note, ""),
     }
+
+    # We need to capture the state of the section before assigning attributes.
+    # The Section#assign_attributes method always creates a new draft section if
+    # the latest edition is published.
+    # This causes Adapters.publishing.discard_section(section) to be called which
+    # blows up as there is no draft section in the Publishing API database.
+    draft_section = section.draft?
+
     section.assign_attributes(change_note_params)
 
     if section.valid?
@@ -30,7 +38,7 @@ def call
       manual.save!(user)
       Adapters.publishing.save_draft(manual, include_sections: false)
 
-      if section.draft?
+      if draft_section
         Adapters.publishing.discard_section(section)
       end
     end
diff --git a/features/removing-a-manual-section.feature b/features/removing-a-manual-section.feature
index 000f8203b..f4dcd1367 100644
--- a/features/removing-a-manual-section.feature
+++ b/features/removing-a-manual-section.feature
@@ -60,8 +60,7 @@ Feature: Removing a section from a manual
     Given I am logged in as a GDS editor
     And a published manual exists
     When I remove one of the sections from the manual
-    Then the section is removed from the manual
-    When I publish the manual
+    And I publish the manual
     Then the removed section is not published
     But the removed section is withdrawn with a redirect to the manual
     And the removed section is archived
@@ -70,8 +69,7 @@ Feature: Removing a section from a manual
     Given I am logged in as an editor
     And a published manual exists
     When I remove one of the sections from the manual
-    Then the section is removed from the manual
-    When I publish the manual
+    And I publish the manual
     Then the removed section is not published
     But the removed section is withdrawn with a redirect to the manual
     And the removed section is archived
@@ -87,14 +85,12 @@ Feature: Removing a section from a manual
     When I remove one of the sections from the manual with a major update omitting the note
     Then I see an error requesting that I provide a change note
     When I remove one of the sections from the manual with a major update
-    Then the section is removed from the manual
-    When I add another section and publish the manual later
+    And I add another section and publish the manual later
     Then the removed section change note is included
 
   Scenario: Removing a section with a minor update change notes
     Given I am logged in as a GDS editor
     And a published manual exists
     When I remove one of the sections from the manual with a minor update
-    Then the section is removed from the manual
-    When I add another section and publish the manual later
+    And I add another section and publish the manual later
     Then the removed section change note is not included