diff --git a/ckanext/harvest/harvesters/ckanharvester.py b/ckanext/harvest/harvesters/ckanharvester.py
index aba454dd..d21b3ff3 100644
--- a/ckanext/harvest/harvesters/ckanharvester.py
+++ b/ckanext/harvest/harvesters/ckanharvester.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 from ckan.lib.helpers import json
 from ckan.plugins import toolkit
 
-from ckanext.harvest.model import HarvestObject
+from ckanext.harvest.model import HarvestObject, HarvestObjectExtra
 from .base import HarvesterBase
 
 import logging
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ def validate_config(self, config):
                 except NotFound:
                     raise ValueError('User not found')
 
-            for key in ('read_only', 'force_all'):
+            for key in ('read_only', 'force_all', 'delete_missing'):
                 if key in config_obj:
                     if not isinstance(config_obj[key], bool):
                         raise ValueError('%s must be boolean' % key)
@@ -184,6 +184,18 @@ def gather_stage(self, harvest_job):
 
         self._set_config(harvest_job.source.config)
 
+        # If using delete_missing, get the previous package ids for this source
+        delete_missing = self.config.get('delete_missing', False)
+        if delete_missing:
+            query = model.Session.query(HarvestObject.package_id) \
+                .filter(HarvestObject.package_id != None) \
+                .filter(HarvestObject.current == True) \
+                .filter(HarvestObject.harvest_source_id == harvest_job.source.id)
+
+            package_ids_in_db = set()
+            for package_id, in query:
+                package_ids_in_db.add(package_id)
+
         # Get source URL
         remote_ckan_base_url = harvest_job.source.url.rstrip('/')
 
@@ -209,10 +221,12 @@ def gather_stage(self, harvest_job):
 
         # Ideally we can request from the remote CKAN only those datasets
         # modified since the last completely successful harvest.
+        # If using delete_missing option we have to get all datasets
         last_error_free_job = self.last_error_free_job(harvest_job)
         log.debug('Last error-free job: %r', last_error_free_job)
         if (last_error_free_job and
-                not self.config.get('force_all', False)):
+                not self.config.get('force_all', False) and
+                not delete_missing):
             get_all_packages = False
 
             # Request only the datasets modified since
@@ -283,6 +297,25 @@ def gather_stage(self, harvest_job):
                 obj.save()
                 object_ids.append(obj.id)
 
+            # If using delete_missing option, check for datasets that no longer
+            # exist
+            if delete_missing:
+                ids_to_delete = package_ids_in_db - package_ids
+                for pkg_id in ids_to_delete:
+                    log.debug('Creating HarvestObject to delete dataset %s',
+                        pkg_id)
+                    obj = HarvestObject(
+                        guid=pkg_id,
+                        package_id=pkg_id,
+                        job=harvest_job,
+                        content='',
+                        extras=[
+                            HarvestObjectExtra(key='missing', value='true')
+                        ]
+                    )
+                    obj.save()
+                    object_ids.append(obj.id)
+
             return object_ids
         except Exception as e:
             self._save_gather_error('%r' % e.message, harvest_job)
@@ -385,6 +418,26 @@ def import_stage(self, harvest_object):
         self._set_config(harvest_object.job.source.config)
 
         try:
+            # If using delete_missing option, check if this object tells to
+            # delete the dataset
+            delete_missing = self.config.get('delete_missing', False)
+            if (delete_missing and
+                    'missing' in [item.key for item in harvest_object.extras]):
+                # Delete package
+                toolkit.get_action('package_delete')(
+                    base_context.copy(), {'id': harvest_object.package_id})
+                log.info('Deleted package {0}'.format(harvest_object.package_id))
+
+                # Update previous harvest object
+                model.Session.query(HarvestObject).\
+                    filter(HarvestObject.guid == harvest_object.guid).\
+                    filter(HarvestObject.harvest_source_id ==
+                        harvest_object.source.id).\
+                    filter(HarvestObject.current == True).\
+                    update({'current': False})
+
+                return True
+
             package_dict = json.loads(harvest_object.content)
 
             if package_dict.get('type') == 'harvest':