diff --git a/src/mapeo-project.js b/src/mapeo-project.js
index d19e5d092..9748ca1bd 100644
--- a/src/mapeo-project.js
+++ b/src/mapeo-project.js
@@ -731,10 +731,10 @@ export class MapeoProject extends TypedEmitter {
 
     try {
       // check for already present fields and presets and delete them if exist
-      await deleteAll(this.preset)
-      await deleteAll(this.field)
+      const presetsToDelete = await grabDocsToDelete(this.preset)
+      const fieldsToDelete = await grabDocsToDelete(this.field)
       // delete only translations that refer to deleted fields and presets
-      await deleteTranslations({
+      const translationsToDelete = await grabTranslationsToDelete({
         logger: this.#l,
         translation: this.$translation.dataType,
         preset: this.preset,
@@ -831,7 +831,7 @@ export class MapeoProject extends TypedEmitter {
           )
         } else {
           throw new Error(
-            `docRef for preset or field with name ${name} not found`
+            `docRef for ${value.docRefType} with name ${name} not found`
           )
         }
       }
@@ -851,6 +851,30 @@ export class MapeoProject extends TypedEmitter {
         },
         configMetadata: config.metadata,
       })
+
+      const deletePresetsPromise = Promise.all(
+        presetsToDelete.map(async (docId) => {
+          const { deleted } = await this.preset.getByDocId(docId)
+          if (!deleted) await this.preset.delete(docId)
+        })
+      )
+      const deleteFieldsPromise = Promise.all(
+        fieldsToDelete.map(async (docId) => {
+          const { deleted } = await this.field.getByDocId(docId)
+          if (!deleted) await this.field.delete(docId)
+        })
+      )
+      const deleteTranslationsPromise = Promise.all(
+        [...translationsToDelete].map(async (docId) => {
+          const { deleted } = await this.$translation.dataType.getByDocId(docId)
+          if (!deleted) await this.$translation.dataType.delete(docId)
+        })
+      )
+      await Promise.all([
+        deletePresetsPromise,
+        deleteFieldsPromise,
+        deleteTranslationsPromise,
+      ])
       this.#loadingConfig = false
       return config.warnings
     } catch (e) {
@@ -871,13 +895,16 @@ function extractEditableProjectSettings(projectDoc) {
   return result
 }
 
-/** @param {MapeoProject['field'] | MapeoProject['preset']} dataType */
-async function deleteAll(dataType) {
-  const deletions = []
+/**
+ @param {MapeoProject['field'] | MapeoProject['preset']} dataType
+ @returns {Promise<String[]>}
+ */
+async function grabDocsToDelete(dataType) {
+  const toDelete = []
   for (const { docId } of await dataType.getMany()) {
-    deletions.push(dataType.delete(docId))
+    toDelete.push(docId)
   }
-  return Promise.all(deletions)
+  return toDelete
 }
 
 /**
@@ -886,25 +913,28 @@ async function deleteAll(dataType) {
  * @param {MapeoProject['$translation']['dataType']} opts.translation
  * @param {MapeoProject['preset']} opts.preset
  * @param {MapeoProject['field']} opts.field
+ * @returns {Promise<Set<String>>}
  */
-async function deleteTranslations(opts) {
+async function grabTranslationsToDelete(opts) {
+  /** @type {Set<String>} */
+  const toDelete = new Set()
   const translations = await opts.translation.getMany()
   await Promise.all(
-    translations.map(async ({ docId, docRef, docRefType }) => {
-      if (docRefType === 'preset' || docRefType === 'field') {
-        let shouldDelete = false
+    translations.map(async ({ docRefType, docRef, docId }) => {
+      if (docRefType === 'field' || docRefType === 'preset') {
+        let doc
         try {
-          const toDelete = await opts[docRefType].getByDocId(docRef.docId)
-          shouldDelete = toDelete.deleted
+          doc = await opts[docRefType].getByVersionId(docRef.versionId)
         } catch (e) {
-          opts.logger.log(`referred ${docRef.docId} is not found`)
+          opts.logger.log(`referred ${docRef.versionId} is not found`)
         }
-        if (shouldDelete) {
-          await opts.translation.delete(docId)
+        if (doc) {
+          toDelete.add(docId)
         }
       }
     })
   )
+  return toDelete
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/test-e2e/config-import.js b/test-e2e/config-import.js
index 984d0a7b6..55e0420ed 100644
--- a/test-e2e/config-import.js
+++ b/test-e2e/config-import.js
@@ -64,6 +64,83 @@ test('config import - load and re-load config manually', async (t) => {
   )
 })
 
+test('deletion of data before loading a new config', async (t) => {
+  const manager = createManager('device0', t)
+  const project = await manager.getProject(await manager.createProject())
+
+  // load default config
+  await project.importConfig({
+    configPath: defaultConfigPath,
+  })
+  const nPresets = (await project.preset.getMany()).length
+  const nFields = (await project.field.getMany()).length
+  const nTranslations = (await project.$translation.dataType.getMany()).length
+
+  // load another config
+  await project.importConfig({
+    configPath: './tests/fixtures/config/validConfig.zip',
+  })
+
+  // load default config again
+  await project.importConfig({
+    configPath: defaultConfigPath,
+  })
+
+  assert.equal(
+    (await project.preset.getMany()).length,
+    nPresets,
+    'after loading config 1, then 2, then 1 again, number of presets should be equal'
+  )
+  assert.equal(
+    (await project.field.getMany()).length,
+    nFields,
+    'after loading config 1, then 2, then 1 again, number of fields should be equal'
+  )
+  assert.equal(
+    (await project.$translation.dataType.getMany()).length,
+    nTranslations,
+    'after loading config 1, then 2, then 1 again, number of translations should be equal'
+  )
+})
+
+test('failing on loading a second config should not delete any data', async (t) => {
+  const manager = createManager('device0', t)
+  const projectId = await manager.createProject()
+  const project = await manager.getProject(projectId)
+  // load default config
+  await project.importConfig({ configPath: defaultConfigPath })
+
+  const nPresets = (await project.preset.getMany()).length
+  const nFields = (await project.field.getMany()).length
+  const nTranslations = (await project.$translation.dataType.getMany()).length
+
+  // load a non-existent config
+  await project.importConfig({ configPath: 'hi' })
+
+  const nPresetsAfter = (await project.preset.getMany()).length
+  const nFieldsAfter = (await project.field.getMany()).length
+  const nTranslationsAfter = (await project.$translation.dataType.getMany())
+    .length
+
+  assert.equal(
+    nPresetsAfter,
+    nPresets,
+    'after failing to load a config, we should not delete any older presets'
+  )
+
+  assert.equal(
+    nFieldsAfter,
+    nFields,
+    'after failing to load a config, we should not delete any older fields'
+  )
+
+  assert.equal(
+    nTranslationsAfter,
+    nTranslations,
+    'after failing to load a config, we should not delete any older translations'
+  )
+})
+
 test('failing on loading multiple configs in parallel', async (t) => {
   const manager = createManager('device0', t)
   const project = await manager.getProject(await manager.createProject())
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/config/validConfig/presets.json b/tests/fixtures/config/validConfig/presets.json
index a99357103..e35e78c39 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/config/validConfig/presets.json
+++ b/tests/fixtures/config/validConfig/presets.json
@@ -2,14 +2,14 @@
     "categories": {},
     "fields": {
         "nombre-monitor": {
-            "key": "nombre-monitor",
+            "tagKey": "nombre-monitor",
             "type": "text",
             "label": "Nombre del Monitor o Mapeador",
             "universal": true,
             "placeholder": "¿Quién está haciendo esta observación?"
         },
         "nombre": {
-            "key": "nombre",
+            "tagKey": "nombre",
             "type": "text",
             "label": "Nombre del Sitio",
             "universal": true,
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
                 "type": "threat",
                 "threat": "access-point"
             },
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Punto de entrada"
         },
         "agrobusiness": {
@@ -51,6 +52,7 @@
                 "type": "threat",
                 "threat": "agrobusiness"
             },
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Agricultura grande escala"
         },
         "airstrip": {
@@ -68,6 +70,7 @@
                 "type": "aeroway",
                 "aeroway": "airstrip"
             },
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Pista"
         },
         "ancestral-site": {
@@ -85,6 +88,7 @@
                 "type": "cultural",
                 "cultural": "ancestral-site"
             },
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Sitio ancestral"
         },
         "animal": {
@@ -103,6 +107,7 @@
                 "type": "animal"
             },
             "terms": [],
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Animal"
         },
         "archaeological-site": {
@@ -120,10 +125,12 @@
                 "type": "cultural",
                 "cultural": "archaeological-site"
             },
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Sitio arqueológico"
         },
         "area": {
             "icon": "other-2",
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Area n",
             "tags": {
                 "area": "yes",
@@ -149,6 +156,7 @@
                 "type": "boundary",
                 "boundary": "indigenous"
             },
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Límite de territorio"
         },
         "burial-site": {
@@ -166,6 +174,7 @@
                 "type": "community",
                 "community": "burial"
             },
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Entierros"
         },
         "camp": {
@@ -182,6 +191,7 @@
             "tags": {
                 "type": "camp"
             },
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Campamento"
         },
         "cave": {
@@ -200,6 +210,7 @@
                 "natural": "cave_entrance"
             },
             "terms": [],
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Cueva"
         },
         "coca": {
@@ -217,6 +228,7 @@
                 "type": "threat",
                 "threat": "coca"
             },
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Cultivo ilícito"
         },
         "community": {
@@ -233,6 +245,7 @@
             "tags": {
                 "place": "village"
             },
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Comunidad"
         },
         "fishing-site": {
@@ -250,6 +263,7 @@
                 "type": "activity",
                 "activity": "fishing"
             },
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Sitio de pesca"
         },
         "gathering-site": {
@@ -267,6 +281,7 @@
                 "type": "activity",
                 "activity": "gathering"
             },
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Sitio de recolección"
         },
         "grupo-armado": {
@@ -284,6 +299,7 @@
                 "type": "threat",
                 "threat": "grupo-armado"
             },
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Grupo-armado"
         },
         "hills": {
@@ -301,6 +317,7 @@
                 "type": "natural",
                 "natural": "peak"
             },
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Cerros"
         },
         "house": {
@@ -317,6 +334,7 @@
             "tags": {
                 "building": "residential"
             },
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Casa"
         },
         "hunting-site": {
@@ -335,6 +353,7 @@
                 "activity": "hunting"
             },
             "terms": [],
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Sitio de caza"
         },
         "illegal-camp": {
@@ -352,6 +371,7 @@
                 "type": "threat",
                 "threat": "camp"
             },
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Campamento ilegal"
         },
         "illegal-fishing": {
@@ -369,6 +389,7 @@
                 "type": "threat",
                 "threat": "fishing"
             },
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Pesca ilegal"
         },
         "illegal-mining": {
@@ -386,6 +407,7 @@
                 "type": "threat",
                 "threat": "mining"
             },
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Minería ilegal"
         },
         "lake": {
@@ -405,10 +427,12 @@
                 "water": "lake"
             },
             "terms": [],
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Lago"
         },
         "line": {
             "icon": "other-2",
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Linea nueva",
             "tags": {
                 "nuevo": "yes"
@@ -432,6 +456,7 @@
                 "type": "threat",
                 "threat": "logging"
             },
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Tala ilegal"
         },
         "mejoras": {
@@ -449,6 +474,7 @@
                 "type": "threat",
                 "threat": "mejoras"
             },
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Mejoras"
         },
         "new-road": {
@@ -466,6 +492,7 @@
                 "type": "threat",
                 "threat": "road"
             },
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Trocha/carretera nueva"
         },
         "oil-impact": {
@@ -483,6 +510,7 @@
                 "type": "threat",
                 "threat": "oil-impact"
             },
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Impactos petroleros"
         },
         "oil-installation": {
@@ -500,6 +528,7 @@
                 "type": "threat",
                 "threat": "oil"
             },
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Instalación petrolera"
         },
         "old-garden": {
@@ -517,6 +546,7 @@
                 "type": "community",
                 "community": "fallow"
             },
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Purma o rastrojo"
         },
         "other-impact": {
@@ -535,6 +565,7 @@
                 "type": "threat",
                 "threat": "other"
             },
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Otros impacto o amenaza"
         },
         "palm": {
@@ -554,6 +585,7 @@
                 "tree": "palm"
             },
             "terms": [],
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Palmera"
         },
         "path": {
@@ -574,6 +606,7 @@
             "terms": [
                 ""
             ],
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Camino"
         },
         "plant": {
@@ -592,6 +625,7 @@
                 "natural": "plant"
             },
             "terms": [],
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Planta"
         },
         "poaching": {
@@ -609,10 +643,12 @@
                 "type": "threat",
                 "threat": "poachings"
             },
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Caza ilegal"
         },
         "point": {
             "icon": "other-2",
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Nuevo punto",
             "sort": 3,
             "tags": {
@@ -638,6 +674,7 @@
                 "type": "waterway"
             },
             "terms": [],
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Río o quebrada"
         },
         "sacred-site": {
@@ -655,6 +692,7 @@
                 "type": "cultural",
                 "cultural": "cultural-site"
             },
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Sitio sagrado"
         },
         "salt-lick": {
@@ -673,6 +711,7 @@
                 "natural": "salt-lick"
             },
             "terms": [],
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Saladero"
         },
         "settlement-illegal": {
@@ -690,6 +729,7 @@
                 "type": "threat",
                 "threat": "settlement"
             },
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Asentamiento ilegal"
         },
         "swidden": {
@@ -707,6 +747,7 @@
                 "type": "landuse",
                 "landuse": "farmland"
             },
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Chacra"
         },
         "waterfall": {
@@ -724,6 +765,7 @@
                 "type": "waterway",
                 "waterway": "waterfall"
             },
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Cascada"
         },
         "tree": {
@@ -742,6 +784,7 @@
                 "natural": "tree"
             },
             "terms": [],
+            "color": "#ff00ff",
             "name": "Arbol"
         }
     },
@@ -836,4 +879,4 @@
         "vertex": [],
         "relation": []
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}