diff --git a/glareclient/tests/unit/v1/test_artifacts.py b/glareclient/tests/unit/v1/test_artifacts.py
index 1e5ffcd..35ad079 100644
--- a/glareclient/tests/unit/v1/test_artifacts.py
+++ b/glareclient/tests/unit/v1/test_artifacts.py
@@ -178,6 +178,35 @@ class TestController(testtools.TestCase):
         }
 
         expect_body = [{'path': '/name',
+                        'op': 'replace',
+                        'value': None}]
+
+        expect = [('PATCH', '/artifacts/sample_artifact/%s' % art_id,
+                   exp_headers,
+                   expect_body)]
+
+        self.assertEqual(expect, self.api.calls)
+        self.api.calls = []
+
+        self.controller.update(artifact_id=art_id,
+                               remove_props=['metadata/key1'],
+                               type_name='sample_artifact')
+
+        expect_body = [{'path': '/metadata/key1',
+                        'op': 'remove'}]
+
+        expect = [('PATCH', '/artifacts/sample_artifact/%s' % art_id,
+                   exp_headers,
+                   expect_body)]
+
+        self.assertEqual(expect, self.api.calls)
+        self.api.calls = []
+
+        self.controller.update(artifact_id=art_id,
+                               remove_props=['releases/1'],
+                               type_name='sample_artifact')
+
+        expect_body = [{'path': '/releases/1',
                         'op': 'remove'}]
 
         expect = [('PATCH', '/artifacts/sample_artifact/%s' % art_id,
diff --git a/glareclient/v1/artifacts.py b/glareclient/v1/artifacts.py
index 770f387..53adde5 100644
--- a/glareclient/v1/artifacts.py
+++ b/glareclient/v1/artifacts.py
@@ -77,8 +77,16 @@ class Controller(object):
         if remove_props:
             for prop_name in remove_props:
                 if prop_name not in kwargs:
-                    changes.append({'op': 'remove',
-                                    'path': '/%s' % prop_name})
+                    if '/' in prop_name:
+                        # we remove all values in dicts and lists explicitly,
+                        # i.e. matadata/key or releases/1
+                        changes.append({'op': 'remove',
+                                        'path': '/%s' % prop_name})
+                    else:
+                        # in other cases we just replace the value with None
+                        changes.append({'op': 'replace',
+                                        'path': '/%s' % prop_name,
+                                        'value': None})
         for prop_name in kwargs:
             changes.append({'op': 'add', 'path': '/%s' % prop_name,
                             'value': kwargs[prop_name]})