diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/data.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/data.rs
index 15d0d779b..a36fe09c6 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/data.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/data.rs
@@ -1542,6 +1542,9 @@ mod tests {
         s.execute("home.hideRows", json!({"rows": "1"})).unwrap();
         s.execute("data.group", json!({"cols": "C"})).unwrap();
         assert!(s.execute("home.deleteRows", json!({"rows": "0"})).is_err());
+        s.execute("home.deleteRows", json!({"rows": "2"})).unwrap();
+        s.execute("home.deleteColumns", json!({"cols": "B"})).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(v(&mut s, "B2"), json!(4.0));
     }
 
     #[test]
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/sheet.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/sheet.rs
index a81634e9a..412ca3df7 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/sheet.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/sheet.rs
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ fn delete_areas(s: &Session, p: &Json, axis: Axis) -> Result<Vec<(u32, u32)>> {
     } else if let Some(t) = str_param(p, key).or_else(|| str_param(p, "range")) {
         t.split(',')
             .map(|part| {
-                let r = RangeRef::parse(part).ok_or_else(|| bad(key, format!("not a range: {part}")))?;
+                let r = parse_lines(part).ok_or_else(|| bad(key, format!("not a range: {part}")))?;
                 Ok(if axis == Axis::Rows { (r.start.row, r.end.row) } else { (r.start.col, r.end.col) })
             })
             .collect::<Result<_>>()?