diff --git a/app/models/project.rb b/app/models/project.rb
index 05e14c578b5c33d65493350ea9387438bb6b0ea6..c7ca322853f388f4d507a07dfd6ba09871af9cff 100644
--- a/app/models/project.rb
+++ b/app/models/project.rb
@@ -1789,7 +1789,7 @@ def remove_exports
     return unless export_file_exists?
 
     import_export_upload.remove_export_file!
-    import_export_upload.save
+    import_export_upload.save unless import_export_upload.destroyed?
   end
 
   def export_file_exists?
diff --git a/changelogs/unreleased/sh-fix-project-deletion-with-export.yml b/changelogs/unreleased/sh-fix-project-deletion-with-export.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..b9437f8ad6ad195467a8a0275ea7236cad56c19f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/unreleased/sh-fix-project-deletion-with-export.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+title: Fix project deletion when there is a export available
+merge_request: 22276
+author:
+type: fixed
diff --git a/spec/services/projects/destroy_service_spec.rb b/spec/services/projects/destroy_service_spec.rb
index beff499f2be226bfed46f9ca4e4549e9207a7437..1d31d26f418bb746bd7b7fba968027190acf3363 100644
--- a/spec/services/projects/destroy_service_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/services/projects/destroy_service_spec.rb
@@ -65,10 +65,12 @@
 
   context 'Sidekiq inline' do
     before do
-      # Run sidekiq immediatly to check that renamed repository will be removed
+      # Run sidekiq immediately to check that renamed repository will be removed
       perform_enqueued_jobs { destroy_project(project, user, {}) }
     end
 
+    it_behaves_like 'deleting the project'
+
     context 'when has remote mirrors' do
       let!(:project) do
         create(:project, :repository, namespace: user.namespace).tap do |project|
@@ -82,13 +84,28 @@
       end
     end
 
-    it_behaves_like 'deleting the project'
-
     it 'invalidates personal_project_count cache' do
       expect(user).to receive(:invalidate_personal_projects_count)
 
       destroy_project(project, user)
     end
+
+    context 'when project has exports' do
+      let!(:project_with_export) do
+        create(:project, :repository, namespace: user.namespace).tap do |project|
+          create(:import_export_upload,
+                 project: project,
+                 export_file: fixture_file_upload('spec/fixtures/project_export.tar.gz'))
+        end
+      end
+      let!(:async) { true }
+
+      it 'destroys project and export' do
+        expect { destroy_project(project_with_export, user) }.to change(ImportExportUpload, :count).by(-1)
+
+        expect(Project.all).not_to include(project_with_export)
+      end
+    end
   end
 
   context 'Sidekiq fake' do