diff --git a/packages/api/src/elastic/index.ts b/packages/api/src/elastic/index.ts
index 2b0d8a383..1bef4c2a2 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/elastic/index.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/elastic/index.ts
@@ -31,3 +31,15 @@ export const initElasticsearch = async (): Promise<void> => {
     throw e
   }
 }
+
+export const refreshIndex = async (): Promise<void> => {
+  try {
+    const { body } = await client.indices.refresh({
+      index: INDEX_ALIAS,
+    })
+    console.log('elastic refresh: ', body)
+  } catch (e) {
+    console.error('failed to refresh elastic index', e)
+    throw e
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/api/src/elastic/labels.ts b/packages/api/src/elastic/labels.ts
index 58cd9ab83..4a77cc9f1 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/elastic/labels.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/elastic/labels.ts
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ export const deleteLabel = async (
   ctx: PageContext
 ): Promise<boolean> => {
   try {
+    console.log('deleting label', label)
     const { body } = await client.updateByQuery({
       index: INDEX_ALIAS,
       body: {
diff --git a/packages/api/src/resolvers/labels/index.ts b/packages/api/src/resolvers/labels/index.ts
index 0a0bd1566..9f600e5ff 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/resolvers/labels/index.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/resolvers/labels/index.ts
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ export const deleteLabelResolver = authorized<
     }
 
     // delete label in elastic pages and highlights
-    await deleteLabel(labelId, {
+    await deleteLabel(label.name, {
       pubsub: createPubSubClient(),
       uid,
     })
diff --git a/packages/api/test/db.ts b/packages/api/test/db.ts
index 944535721..4d9928c82 100644
--- a/packages/api/test/db.ts
+++ b/packages/api/test/db.ts
@@ -184,9 +184,9 @@ export const createTestLabel = async (
   color: string
 ): Promise<Label> => {
   return getRepository(Label).save({
-    user: user,
-    name: name,
-    color: color,
+    user,
+    name,
+    color,
   })
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/api/test/resolvers/labels.test.ts b/packages/api/test/resolvers/labels.test.ts
index 7b469f80e..a014ac8a4 100644
--- a/packages/api/test/resolvers/labels.test.ts
+++ b/packages/api/test/resolvers/labels.test.ts
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import {
   addHighlightToPage,
   getHighlightById,
 } from '../../src/elastic/highlights'
+import { refreshIndex } from '../../src/elastic'
 
 describe('Labels API', () => {
   const username = 'fakeUser'
@@ -219,34 +220,49 @@ describe('Labels API', () => {
     context('when label exists', () => {
       let toDeleteLabel: Label
 
-      before(async () => {
-        toDeleteLabel = await createTestLabel(user, 'label4', '#ffffff')
-        labelId = toDeleteLabel.id
-      })
+      context('when label is not used', () => {
+        before(async () => {
+          toDeleteLabel = await createTestLabel(
+            user,
+            'label not in use',
+            '#ffffff'
+          )
+          labelId = toDeleteLabel.id
+        })
 
-      it('should delete label', async () => {
-        await graphqlRequest(query, authToken).expect(200)
-        const label = await getRepository(Label).findOneBy({ id: labelId })
-        expect(label).to.not.exist
+        it('should delete label', async () => {
+          await graphqlRequest(query, authToken).expect(200)
+          const label = await getRepository(Label).findOneBy({ id: labelId })
+          expect(label).not.exist
+        })
       })
 
       context('when a page has this label', () => {
         before(async () => {
+          toDeleteLabel = await createTestLabel(user, 'page label', '#ffffff')
+          labelId = toDeleteLabel.id
           await addLabelInPage(page.id, toDeleteLabel, ctx)
         })
 
         it('should update page', async () => {
           await graphqlRequest(query, authToken).expect(200)
-          const updatedPage = await getPageById(page.id)
+          await refreshIndex()
 
-          expect(updatedPage?.labels).not.to.include(toDeleteLabel)
+          const updatedPage = await getPageById(page.id)
+          expect(updatedPage?.labels).not.deep.include(toDeleteLabel)
         })
       })
 
       context('when a highlight has this label', () => {
-        const highlightId = 'testDeleteLabel'
+        const highlightId = generateFakeUuid()
 
         before(async () => {
+          toDeleteLabel = await createTestLabel(
+            user,
+            'highlight label',
+            '#ffffff'
+          )
+          labelId = toDeleteLabel.id
           const highlight: Highlight = {
             id: highlightId,
             patch: 'test patch',
@@ -261,9 +277,10 @@ describe('Labels API', () => {
 
         it('should update highlight', async () => {
           await graphqlRequest(query, authToken).expect(200)
-          const updatedHighlight = await getHighlightById(highlightId)
+          await refreshIndex()
 
-          expect(updatedHighlight?.labels).not.to.include(toDeleteLabel)
+          const updatedHighlight = await getHighlightById(highlightId)
+          expect(updatedHighlight?.labels).not.deep.include(toDeleteLabel)
         })
       })
     })