diff --git a/vif_plug_ovs/linux_net.py b/vif_plug_ovs/linux_net.py
index 8816127b..c73c7842 100644
--- a/vif_plug_ovs/linux_net.py
+++ b/vif_plug_ovs/linux_net.py
@@ -107,6 +107,12 @@ def device_exists(device):
     return os.path.exists('/sys/class/net/%s' % device)
 
 
+def interface_in_bridge(bridge, device):
+    """Check if an ethernet device belongs to a Linux Bridge."""
+    return os.path.exists('/sys/class/net/%(bridge)s/brif/%(device)s' %
+                          {'bridge': bridge, 'device': device})
+
+
 def _delete_net_dev(dev):
     """Delete a network device only if it exists."""
     if device_exists(dev):
@@ -172,7 +178,8 @@ def ensure_bridge(bridge):
 @privsep.vif_plug.entrypoint
 def delete_bridge(bridge, dev):
     if device_exists(bridge):
-        processutils.execute('brctl', 'delif', bridge, dev)
+        if interface_in_bridge(bridge, dev):
+            processutils.execute('brctl', 'delif', bridge, dev)
         processutils.execute('ip', 'link', 'set', bridge, 'down')
         processutils.execute('brctl', 'delbr', bridge)
 
diff --git a/vif_plug_ovs/tests/unit/test_linux_net.py b/vif_plug_ovs/tests/unit/test_linux_net.py
index 16f4849b..d4fb5ff1 100644
--- a/vif_plug_ovs/tests/unit/test_linux_net.py
+++ b/vif_plug_ovs/tests/unit/test_linux_net.py
@@ -84,15 +84,20 @@ class LinuxNetTest(testtools.TestCase):
 
     @mock.patch.object(processutils, "execute")
     @mock.patch.object(linux_net, "device_exists", return_value=False)
-    def test_delete_bridge_none(self, mock_dev_exists, mock_execute):
+    @mock.patch.object(linux_net, "interface_in_bridge", return_value=False)
+    def test_delete_bridge_none(self, mock_interface_br, mock_dev_exists,
+                                mock_execute,):
         linux_net.delete_bridge("br0", "vnet1")
 
         mock_execute.assert_not_called()
         mock_dev_exists.assert_has_calls([mock.call("br0")])
+        mock_interface_br.assert_not_called()
 
     @mock.patch.object(processutils, "execute")
     @mock.patch.object(linux_net, "device_exists", return_value=True)
-    def test_delete_bridge_exists(self, mock_dev_exists, mock_execute):
+    @mock.patch.object(linux_net, "interface_in_bridge", return_value=True)
+    def test_delete_bridge_exists(self, mock_interface_br, mock_dev_exists,
+                                  mock_execute):
         linux_net.delete_bridge("br0", "vnet1")
 
         calls = [
@@ -101,6 +106,21 @@ class LinuxNetTest(testtools.TestCase):
             mock.call('brctl', 'delbr', 'br0')]
         mock_execute.assert_has_calls(calls)
         mock_dev_exists.assert_has_calls([mock.call("br0")])
+        mock_interface_br.assert_called_once_with("br0", "vnet1")
+
+    @mock.patch.object(processutils, "execute")
+    @mock.patch.object(linux_net, "device_exists", return_value=True)
+    @mock.patch.object(linux_net, "interface_in_bridge", return_value=False)
+    def test_delete_interface_not_present(self, mock_interface_br,
+                                          mock_dev_exists, mock_execute):
+        linux_net.delete_bridge("br0", "vnet1")
+
+        calls = [
+            mock.call('ip', 'link', 'set', 'br0', 'down'),
+            mock.call('brctl', 'delbr', 'br0')]
+        mock_execute.assert_has_calls(calls)
+        mock_dev_exists.assert_has_calls([mock.call("br0")])
+        mock_interface_br.assert_called_once_with("br0", "vnet1")
 
     @mock.patch.object(processutils, "execute")
     def test_add_bridge_port(self, mock_execute):