diff --git a/core/modules/book/book.module b/core/modules/book/book.module
index a6c1886..c19ce7e 100644
--- a/core/modules/book/book.module
+++ b/core/modules/book/book.module
@@ -221,7 +221,17 @@ function _book_outline_access($node) {
  * @see book_menu()
  */
 function _book_outline_remove_access($node) {
-  return isset($node->book) && ($node->book['bid'] != $node->nid) && _book_outline_access($node);
+  return _book_node_is_removable($node) && _book_outline_access($node);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Determines if a node can be removed from the book.
+ *
+ * A node can be removed from a book if it is actually in a book and it either
+ * is not a top-level page or is a top-level page with no children.
+ */
+function _book_node_is_removable($node) {
+  return (!empty($node->book['bid']) && (($node->book['bid'] != $node->nid) || !$node->book['has_children']));
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/core/modules/book/book.pages.inc b/core/modules/book/book.pages.inc
index e5f0832..98282be 100644
--- a/core/modules/book/book.pages.inc
+++ b/core/modules/book/book.pages.inc
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ function book_outline_form($form, &$form_state, $node) {
   $form['remove'] = array(
     '#type' => 'submit',
     '#value' => t('Remove from book outline'),
-    '#access' => $node->nid != $node->book['bid'] && $node->book['bid'],
+    '#access' => _book_node_is_removable($node),
     '#weight' => 20,
     '#submit' => array('book_remove_button_submit'),
   );
@@ -231,8 +231,7 @@ function book_remove_form($form, &$form_state, $node) {
  */
 function book_remove_form_submit($form, &$form_state) {
   $node = $form['#node'];
-  if ($node->nid != $node->book['bid']) {
-    // Only allowed when this is not a book (top-level page).
+  if (_book_node_is_removable($node)) {
     menu_link_delete($node->book['mlid']);
     db_delete('book')
       ->condition('nid', $node->nid)
diff --git a/core/modules/book/book.test b/core/modules/book/book.test
index 83328e0..33b508f 100644
--- a/core/modules/book/book.test
+++ b/core/modules/book/book.test
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ class BookTestCase extends DrupalWebTestCase {
     // Create users.
     $this->book_author = $this->drupalCreateUser(array('create new books', 'create book content', 'edit own book content', 'add content to books'));
     $this->web_user = $this->drupalCreateUser(array('access printer-friendly version', 'node test view'));
-    $this->admin_user = $this->drupalCreateUser(array('create new books', 'create book content', 'edit own book content', 'add content to books', 'administer blocks', 'administer permissions'));
+    $this->admin_user = $this->drupalCreateUser(array('create new books', 'create book content', 'edit own book content', 'add content to books', 'administer blocks', 'administer permissions', 'administer book outlines', 'node test view'));
   }
 
   /**
@@ -332,4 +332,30 @@ class BookTestCase extends DrupalWebTestCase {
      $this->drupalGet('node/' . $this->book->nid);
      $this->assertText($block_title, t('Book navigation block is displayed to anonymous users.'));
    }
+
+  /**
+   * Tests the access for deleting top-level book nodes.
+   */
+   function testBookDelete() {
+     $nodes = $this->createBook();
+     $this->drupalLogin($this->admin_user);
+     $edit = array();
+
+     // Test access to delete top-level and child book nodes.
+     $this->drupalGet('node/' . $this->book->nid . '/outline/remove');
+     $this->assertResponse('403', t('Deleting top-level book node properly forbidden.'));
+     $this->drupalPost('node/' . $nodes[4]->nid . '/outline/remove', $edit, t('Remove'));
+     $node4 = node_load($nodes[4]->nid, NULL, TRUE);
+     $this->assertTrue(empty($node4->book), t('Deleting child book node properly allowed.'));
+
+     // Delete all child book nodes and retest top-level node deletion.
+     foreach ($nodes as $node) {
+       $nids[] = $node->nid;
+     }
+     node_delete_multiple($nids);
+     $this->drupalPost('node/' . $this->book->nid . '/outline/remove', $edit, t('Remove'));
+     $node = node_load($this->book->nid, NULL, TRUE);
+     $this->assertTrue(empty($node->book), t('Deleting childless top-level book node properly allowed.'));
+   }
 }
+