diff --git a/django/db/models/query.py b/django/db/models/query.py
index eda71d2478..81a8b67cec 100644
--- a/django/db/models/query.py
+++ b/django/db/models/query.py
@@ -539,7 +539,7 @@ class QuerySet(object):
         # Disable non-supported fields.
         del_query.query.select_for_update = False
         del_query.query.select_related = False
-        del_query.query.clear_ordering()
+        del_query.query.clear_ordering(force_empty=True)
 
         collector = Collector(using=del_query.db)
         collector.collect(del_query)
diff --git a/tests/regressiontests/delete_regress/models.py b/tests/regressiontests/delete_regress/models.py
index dbe383fb41..3632a7dbc1 100644
--- a/tests/regressiontests/delete_regress/models.py
+++ b/tests/regressiontests/delete_regress/models.py
@@ -99,3 +99,13 @@ class OrgUnit(models.Model):
 class Login(models.Model):
     description = models.CharField(max_length=32)
     orgunit = models.ForeignKey(OrgUnit)
+
+class House(models.Model):
+    address = models.CharField(max_length=32)
+
+class OrderedPerson(models.Model):
+    name = models.CharField(max_length=32)
+    lives_in = models.ForeignKey(House)
+
+    class Meta:
+        ordering = ['name']
diff --git a/tests/regressiontests/delete_regress/tests.py b/tests/regressiontests/delete_regress/tests.py
index c3e4a6a0b7..e007ebdd76 100644
--- a/tests/regressiontests/delete_regress/tests.py
+++ b/tests/regressiontests/delete_regress/tests.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ from django.test import TestCase, TransactionTestCase, skipUnlessDBFeature
 from .models import (Book, Award, AwardNote, Person, Child, Toy, PlayedWith,
     PlayedWithNote, Email, Researcher, Food, Eaten, Policy, Version, Location,
     Item, Image, File, Photo, FooFile, FooImage, FooPhoto, FooFileProxy, Login,
-    OrgUnit)
+    OrgUnit, OrderedPerson, House)
 
 
 # Can't run this test under SQLite, because you can't
@@ -347,3 +347,14 @@ class Ticket19102Tests(TestCase):
         self.assertFalse(Login.objects.filter(pk=self.l1.pk).exists())
         self.assertTrue(Login.objects.filter(pk=self.l2.pk).exists())
 
+
+class OrderedDeleteTests(TestCase):
+    def test_meta_ordered_delete(self):
+        # When a subquery is performed by deletion code, the subquery must be
+        # cleared of all ordering. There was a but that caused _meta ordering
+        # to be used. Refs #19720.
+        h = House.objects.create(address='Foo')
+        OrderedPerson.objects.create(name='Jack', lives_in=h)
+        OrderedPerson.objects.create(name='Bob', lives_in=h)
+        OrderedPerson.objects.filter(lives_in__address='Foo').delete()
+        self.assertEqual(OrderedPerson.objects.count(), 0)