diff --git a/modules/core/src/main/java/org/apache/synapse/mediators/elementary/Target.java b/modules/core/src/main/java/org/apache/synapse/mediators/elementary/Target.java
index 1027629b42..067d2a0bf1 100644
--- a/modules/core/src/main/java/org/apache/synapse/mediators/elementary/Target.java
+++ b/modules/core/src/main/java/org/apache/synapse/mediators/elementary/Target.java
@@ -527,9 +527,12 @@ private String removeJSONFromString(MessageContext synCtx, String inputString, S
                 if (path.equals("$") || path.equals("$.")) {
                     result = "";
                 } else {
-                    DocumentContext doc = JsonPath.parse(result);
-                    doc.delete(path);
-                    result = doc.jsonString();
+                    Object list = JsonPath.compile(path).read(result);
+                    if (!((JsonArray) list).isEmpty()) {
+                        DocumentContext doc = JsonPath.parse(result);
+                        doc.delete(path);
+                        result = doc.jsonString();
+                    }
                 }
             }
         }