diff --git a/src/moin/apps/frontend/views.py b/src/moin/apps/frontend/views.py
index 49489d995..8a4020501 100644
--- a/src/moin/apps/frontend/views.py
+++ b/src/moin/apps/frontend/views.py
@@ -1266,7 +1266,7 @@ def destroy_item(item_name, rev):
     ret = render_template(
         "destroy.html",
         item=item,
-        item_name=item_name,
+        item_name=item_name if item.meta[NAME] else item.meta[NAME_OLD][0],
         subitem_names=subitem_names,
         alias_names=alias_names,
         fqname=fqname,
diff --git a/src/moin/items/__init__.py b/src/moin/items/__init__.py
index 16ee0c2aa..7af704308 100644
--- a/src/moin/items/__init__.py
+++ b/src/moin/items/__init__.py
@@ -916,7 +916,10 @@ def destroy(self, comment="", destroy_item=False, subitem_names=[], ajax=False):
         action = DESTROY_ALL if destroy_item else DESTROY_REV
         item_modified.send(app, fqname=self.fqname, action=action, data=self.rev.data, meta=self.meta)
         close_file(self.rev.data)
-        old_name = self.names if len(self.names) > 1 else self.names[0]
+        if self.names:
+            old_name = self.names if len(self.names) > 1 else self.names[0]
+        else:
+            old_name = self.meta[NAME_OLD][0]
         if destroy_item:
             # destroy complete item with all revisions, metadata, etc.
             self.rev.item.destroy_all_revisions()
diff --git a/src/moin/templates/destroy.html b/src/moin/templates/destroy.html
index adaa6c2fc..eee348b1f 100644
--- a/src/moin/templates/destroy.html
+++ b/src/moin/templates/destroy.html
@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@
 {% extends theme("show.html") %}
 
 {% if alias_names %}
-    {% set title = _("Destroy '{item_name}' with alias names {alias_names}").format(item_name=fqname|shorten_fqname, alias_names=alias_names) %}
+    {% set title = _("Destroy '{item_name}' with alias names {alias_names}").format(item_name=item_name, alias_names=alias_names) %}
 {% else %}
-    {% set title = _("Destroy '{item_name}'").format(item_name=fqname|shorten_fqname) %}
+    {% set title = _("Destroy '{item_name}'").format(item_name=item_name) %}
 {% endif %}
 
 {% block content %}