diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/action/document/RestDeleteAction.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/action/document/RestDeleteAction.java
index 6478b7996649d..0d8d02afae764 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/action/document/RestDeleteAction.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/action/document/RestDeleteAction.java
@@ -48,6 +48,10 @@ public RestDeleteAction(Settings settings, RestController controller) {
 
     @Override
     public RestChannelConsumer prepareRequest(final RestRequest request, final NodeClient client) throws IOException {
+        if (RestActions.hasBodyContent(request)) {
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException("DELETE requests may not contain a request body");
+        }
+
         DeleteRequest deleteRequest = new DeleteRequest(request.param("index"), request.param("type"), request.param("id"));
         deleteRequest.routing(request.param("routing"));
         deleteRequest.parent(request.param("parent")); // order is important, set it after routing, so it will set the routing