diff --git a/shade/openstackcloud.py b/shade/openstackcloud.py
index a4da5b026..a9c98b150 100644
--- a/shade/openstackcloud.py
+++ b/shade/openstackcloud.py
@@ -967,10 +967,11 @@ class OpenStackCloud(object):
                                         marker=marker)
         return self.get_stack(name_or_id)
 
-    def delete_stack(self, name_or_id):
+    def delete_stack(self, name_or_id, wait=False):
         """Delete a Heat Stack
 
         :param string name_or_id: Stack name or id.
+        :param boolean wait: Whether to wait for the delete to finish
 
         :returns: True if delete succeeded, False if the stack was not found.
 
@@ -982,9 +983,33 @@ class OpenStackCloud(object):
             self.log.debug("Stack %s not found for deleting" % name_or_id)
             return False
 
+        if wait:
+            # find the last event to use as the marker
+            events = event_utils.get_events(self.heat_client,
+                                            name_or_id,
+                                            event_args={'sort_dir': 'desc',
+                                                        'limit': 1})
+            marker = events[0].id if events else None
+
         with _utils.heat_exceptions("Failed to delete stack {id}".format(
                 id=name_or_id)):
             self.manager.submitTask(_tasks.StackDelete(id=stack['id']))
+        if wait:
+            try:
+                event_utils.poll_for_events(self.heat_client,
+                                            stack_name=name_or_id,
+                                            action='DELETE',
+                                            marker=marker)
+            except (heat_exceptions.NotFound, heat_exceptions.CommandError):
+                # heatclient might raise NotFound or CommandError on
+                # not found during poll_for_events
+                pass
+            stack = self.get_stack(name_or_id)
+            if stack and stack['stack_status'] == 'DELETE_FAILED':
+                raise OpenStackCloudException(
+                    "Failed to delete stack {id}: {reason}".format(
+                        id=name_or_id, reason=stack['stack_status_reason']))
+
         return True
 
     def get_name(self):
diff --git a/shade/tests/functional/test_stack.py b/shade/tests/functional/test_stack.py
index 8f073b87d..a0e649b86 100644
--- a/shade/tests/functional/test_stack.py
+++ b/shade/tests/functional/test_stack.py
@@ -83,7 +83,8 @@ class TestStack(base.TestCase):
             self.skipTest('Orchestration service not supported by cloud')
 
     def _cleanup_stack(self):
-        self.cloud.delete_stack(self.stack_name)
+        self.cloud.delete_stack(self.stack_name, wait=True)
+        self.assertIsNone(self.cloud.get_stack(self.stack_name))
 
     def test_stack_validation(self):
         test_template = tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(delete=False)
diff --git a/shade/tests/unit/test_stack.py b/shade/tests/unit/test_stack.py
index e796e46eb..5e1280a28 100644
--- a/shade/tests/unit/test_stack.py
+++ b/shade/tests/unit/test_stack.py
@@ -108,6 +108,35 @@ class TestStack(base.TestCase):
         ):
             self.cloud.delete_stack('stack_name')
 
+    @mock.patch.object(event_utils, 'poll_for_events')
+    @mock.patch.object(shade.OpenStackCloud, 'get_stack')
+    @mock.patch.object(shade.OpenStackCloud, 'heat_client')
+    def test_delete_stack_wait(self, mock_heat, mock_get, mock_poll):
+        stack = {'id': 'stack_id', 'name': 'stack_name'}
+        mock_get.side_effect = (stack, None)
+        self.assertTrue(self.cloud.delete_stack('stack_name', wait=True))
+        mock_heat.stacks.delete.assert_called_once_with(stack['id'])
+        self.assertEqual(2, mock_get.call_count)
+        self.assertEqual(1, mock_poll.call_count)
+
+    @mock.patch.object(event_utils, 'poll_for_events')
+    @mock.patch.object(shade.OpenStackCloud, 'get_stack')
+    @mock.patch.object(shade.OpenStackCloud, 'heat_client')
+    def test_delete_stack_wait_failed(self, mock_heat, mock_get, mock_poll):
+        stack = {'id': 'stack_id', 'name': 'stack_name'}
+        stack_failed = {'id': 'stack_id', 'name': 'stack_name',
+                        'stack_status': 'DELETE_FAILED',
+                        'stack_status_reason': 'ouch'}
+        mock_get.side_effect = (stack, stack_failed)
+        with testtools.ExpectedException(
+            shade.OpenStackCloudException,
+            "Failed to delete stack stack_name: ouch"
+        ):
+            self.cloud.delete_stack('stack_name', wait=True)
+        mock_heat.stacks.delete.assert_called_once_with(stack['id'])
+        self.assertEqual(2, mock_get.call_count)
+        self.assertEqual(1, mock_poll.call_count)
+
     @mock.patch.object(template_utils, 'get_template_contents')
     @mock.patch.object(shade.OpenStackCloud, 'heat_client')
     def test_create_stack(self, mock_heat, mock_template):