diff --git a/api/characteristics.go b/api/characteristics.go
index 0d284db..3926b86 100644
--- a/api/characteristics.go
+++ b/api/characteristics.go
@@ -194,3 +194,13 @@ func (c CharacteristicService) Create(e *types.Entity, genus string, claims *typ
 	}
 	return nil
 }
+
+// Delete deletes a single characteristic
+func (c CharacteristicService) Delete(id int64, genus string, claims *types.Claims) *types.AppError {
+	q := `DELETE FROM characteristics WHERE id=$1;`
+	// TODO: fix this
+	if _, err := models.DBH.Exec(q, id); err != nil {
+		return newJSONError(err, http.StatusInternalServerError)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/handlers/handlers.go b/handlers/handlers.go
index 6380c67..09a1ae6 100644
--- a/handlers/handlers.go
+++ b/handlers/handlers.go
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ func Handler() http.Handler {
 		r{handleCreater(characteristicService), "POST", "/characteristics"},
 		r{handleGetter(characteristicService), "GET", "/characteristics/{ID:.+}"},
 		r{handleUpdater(characteristicService), "PUT", "/characteristics/{ID:.+}"},
+		r{handleDeleter(characteristicService), "DELETE", "/characteristics/{ID:.+}"},
 		r{handleLister(measurementService), "GET", "/measurements"},
 		r{handleCreater(measurementService), "POST", "/measurements"},
 		r{handleGetter(measurementService), "GET", "/measurements/{ID:.+}"},
diff --git a/migrations/00010_AddMeasurements_up.sql b/migrations/00010_AddMeasurements_up.sql
index 9d7e52b..ca3674c 100644
--- a/migrations/00010_AddMeasurements_up.sql
+++ b/migrations/00010_AddMeasurements_up.sql
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ CREATE TABLE measurements (
 
     CONSTRAINT strainscharmeasurements_pkey PRIMARY KEY (id),
     FOREIGN KEY (strain_id) REFERENCES strains(id),
-    FOREIGN KEY (characteristic_id) REFERENCES characteristics(id),
+    FOREIGN KEY (characteristic_id) REFERENCES characteristics(id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
     FOREIGN KEY (text_measurement_type_id) REFERENCES text_measurement_types(id),
     FOREIGN KEY (unit_type_id) REFERENCES unit_types(id),
     FOREIGN KEY (test_method_id) REFERENCES test_methods(id),