diff --git a/DependencyInjection/FOQElasticaExtension.php b/DependencyInjection/FOQElasticaExtension.php
index 7b149a4..9df6634 100644
--- a/DependencyInjection/FOQElasticaExtension.php
+++ b/DependencyInjection/FOQElasticaExtension.php
@@ -316,13 +316,8 @@ class FOQElasticaExtension extends Extension
         $listenerDef = new DefinitionDecorator($abstractListenerId);
         $listenerDef->replaceArgument(0, new Reference($objectPersisterId));
         $listenerDef->replaceArgument(1, $typeConfig['model']);
-        $events = array();
-        $doctrineEvents = array('insert' => 'postPersist', 'update' => 'postUpdate', 'delete' => 'postRemove');
-        foreach ($doctrineEvents as $event => $doctrineEvent) {
-            if (isset($typeConfig['listener'][$event]) && $typeConfig['listener'][$event]) {
-                $events[] = $doctrineEvent;
-            }
-        }
+        $listenerDef->replaceArgument(3, $typeConfig['identifier']);
+        $events = $this->getDoctrineEvents($typeConfig);
         $listenerDef->replaceArgument(2, $events);
         switch ($typeConfig['driver']) {
             case 'orm': $listenerDef->addTag('doctrine.event_subscriber'); break;
@@ -333,6 +328,22 @@ class FOQElasticaExtension extends Extension
         return $listenerId;
     }
 
+    private function getDoctrineEvents(array $typeConfig)
+    {
+        $events = array();
+        $eventMapping = array(
+            'insert' => array('postPersist'),
+            'update' => array('postUpdate'),
+            'delete' => array('postRemove', 'preRemove')
+        );
+        foreach ($eventMapping as $event => $doctrineEvents) {
+            if (isset($typeConfig['listener'][$event]) && $typeConfig['listener'][$event]) {
+                $events = array_merge($events, $doctrineEvents);
+            }
+        }
+        return $events;
+    }
+
     protected function loadTypeFinder(array $typeConfig, ContainerBuilder $container, $elasticaToModelId, $typeDef, $indexName, $typeName)
     {
         if (isset($typeConfig['finder']['service'])) {
diff --git a/Doctrine/AbstractListener.php b/Doctrine/AbstractListener.php
index 343f9c2..a16bc73 100644
--- a/Doctrine/AbstractListener.php
+++ b/Doctrine/AbstractListener.php
@@ -28,14 +28,19 @@ abstract class AbstractListener
      */
     protected $events;
 
+    protected $identifier;
+    protected $scheduledForRemoval;
+
     /**
      * Constructor
      **/
-    public function __construct(ObjectPersisterInterface $objectPersister, $objectClass, array $events)
+    public function __construct(ObjectPersisterInterface $objectPersister, $objectClass, array $events, $identifier = 'id')
     {
-        $this->objectPersister = $objectPersister;
-        $this->objectClass     = $objectClass;
-        $this->events          = $events;
+        $this->objectPersister     = $objectPersister;
+        $this->objectClass         = $objectClass;
+        $this->events              = $events;
+        $this->identifier          = $identifier;
+        $this->scheduledForRemoval = new \SplObjectStorage();
     }
 
     /**
@@ -46,4 +51,17 @@ abstract class AbstractListener
         return $this->events;
     }
 
+    protected function scheduleForRemoval($object)
+    {
+        $getIdentifierMethod = 'get' . ucfirst($this->identifier);
+        $this->scheduledForRemoval[$object] = $object->$getIdentifierMethod();
+    }
+
+    protected function removeIfScheduled($object)
+    {
+        if (isset($this->scheduledForRemoval[$object])) {
+            $this->objectPersister->deleteById($this->scheduledForRemoval[$object]);
+        }
+    }
+
 }
diff --git a/Doctrine/MongoDB/Listener.php b/Doctrine/MongoDB/Listener.php
index 89c7502..352ff36 100644
--- a/Doctrine/MongoDB/Listener.php
+++ b/Doctrine/MongoDB/Listener.php
@@ -26,12 +26,21 @@ class Listener extends AbstractListener implements EventSubscriber
         }
     }
 
+    public function preRemove(LifecycleEventArgs $eventArgs)
+    {
+        $document = $eventArgs->getDocument();
+
+        if ($document instanceof $this->objectClass) {
+            $this->scheduleForRemoval($document);
+        }
+    }
+
     public function postRemove(LifecycleEventArgs $eventArgs)
     {
         $document = $eventArgs->getDocument();
 
         if ($document instanceof $this->objectClass) {
-            $this->objectPersister->deleteOne($document);
+            $this->removeIfScheduled($document);
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/Doctrine/ORM/Listener.php b/Doctrine/ORM/Listener.php
index 7e5bea8..4a1f30d 100644
--- a/Doctrine/ORM/Listener.php
+++ b/Doctrine/ORM/Listener.php
@@ -26,12 +26,22 @@ class Listener extends AbstractListener implements EventSubscriber
         }
     }
 
+    public function preRemove(LifecycleEventArgs $eventArgs)
+    {
+        $entity = $eventArgs->getEntity();
+
+        if ($entity instanceof $this->objectClass) {
+            $this->scheduleForRemoval($entity);
+        }
+    }
+
     public function postRemove(LifecycleEventArgs $eventArgs)
     {
         $entity = $eventArgs->getEntity();
 
         if ($entity instanceof $this->objectClass) {
-            $this->objectPersister->deleteOne($entity);
+            $this->removeIfScheduled($entity);
         }
     }
+
 }
diff --git a/Persister/ObjectPersister.php b/Persister/ObjectPersister.php
index 87653f4..03a2f1e 100644
--- a/Persister/ObjectPersister.php
+++ b/Persister/ObjectPersister.php
@@ -61,12 +61,28 @@ class ObjectPersister implements ObjectPersisterInterface
      * @param object $object
      * @return null
      **/
-    public function deleteOne($object)
+    public function deleteOne($object, $id = null)
     {
-        $document = $this->transformToElasticaDocument($object);
-        $this->type->deleteById($document->getId());
+        if (!$id) {
+            $document = $this->transformToElasticaDocument($object);
+            $id = $document->getId();
+        }
+        $this->type->deleteById($id);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Deletes one object in the type by id
+     *
+     * @param mixed $id
+     *
+     * @return null
+     **/
+    public function deleteById($id)
+    {
+        $this->type->deleteById($id);
+    }
+
+
     /**
      * Inserts an array of objects in the type
      *
diff --git a/Persister/ObjectPersisterInterface.php b/Persister/ObjectPersisterInterface.php
index 3cf12d2..962a88c 100644
--- a/Persister/ObjectPersisterInterface.php
+++ b/Persister/ObjectPersisterInterface.php
@@ -32,6 +32,15 @@ interface ObjectPersisterInterface
      **/
     function deleteOne($object);
 
+    /**
+     * Deletes one object in the type by id
+     *
+     * @param mixed $id
+     *
+     * @return null
+     **/
+    function deleteById($id);
+
     /**
      * Inserts an array of objects in the type
      *
diff --git a/Resources/config/mongodb.xml b/Resources/config/mongodb.xml
index 1fc8fe3..af24531 100644
--- a/Resources/config/mongodb.xml
+++ b/Resources/config/mongodb.xml
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
             <argument /> <!-- object persister -->
             <argument /> <!-- model -->
             <argument type="collection" /> <!-- events -->
+            <argument/> <!-- identifier -->
         </service>
 
         <service id="foq_elastica.elastica_to_model_transformer.prototype.mongodb" class="FOQ\ElasticaBundle\Doctrine\MongoDB\ElasticaToModelTransformer" public="false">
diff --git a/Resources/config/orm.xml b/Resources/config/orm.xml
index 86869de..71fa2aa 100644
--- a/Resources/config/orm.xml
+++ b/Resources/config/orm.xml
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
             <argument /> <!-- object persister -->
             <argument /> <!-- model -->
             <argument type="collection" /> <!-- events -->
+            <argument/> <!-- identifier -->
         </service>
 
         <service id="foq_elastica.elastica_to_model_transformer.prototype.orm" class="FOQ\ElasticaBundle\Doctrine\ORM\ElasticaToModelTransformer" public="false">
diff --git a/Tests/Doctrine/MongoDB/ListenerTest.php b/Tests/Doctrine/MongoDB/ListenerTest.php
index eff42d7..bb12d20 100644
--- a/Tests/Doctrine/MongoDB/ListenerTest.php
+++ b/Tests/Doctrine/MongoDB/ListenerTest.php
@@ -4,7 +4,20 @@ namespace FOQ\ElasticaBundle\Tests\Doctrine\MongoDB;
 
 use FOQ\ElasticaBundle\Doctrine\MongoDB\Listener;
 
-class Document{}
+class Document
+{
+
+    public function getId()
+    {
+        return ListenerTest::DOCUMENT_ID;
+    }
+
+    public function getIdentifier()
+    {
+        return ListenerTest::DOCUMENT_IDENTIFIER;
+    }
+
+}
 
 /**
  * @author Richard Miller <info@limethinking.co.uk>
@@ -12,6 +25,9 @@ class Document{}
 class ListenerTest extends \PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
 {
 
+    const DOCUMENT_ID = 78;
+    const DOCUMENT_IDENTIFIER = 826;
+
     public function testObjectInsertedOnPersist()
     {
         $persisterMock = $this->getMockBuilder('FOQ\ElasticaBundle\Persister\ObjectPersisterInterface')
@@ -33,7 +49,7 @@ class ListenerTest extends \PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
             ->method('insertOne')
             ->with($this->equalTo($document));
 
-        $listener = new Listener($persisterMock, $objectName, array(), null);
+        $listener = new Listener($persisterMock, $objectName, array());
         $listener->postPersist($eventArgsMock);
     }
 
@@ -58,7 +74,7 @@ class ListenerTest extends \PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
             ->method('replaceOne')
             ->with($this->equalTo($document));
 
-        $listener = new Listener($persisterMock, $objectName, array(), null);
+        $listener = new Listener($persisterMock, $objectName, array());
         $listener->postUpdate($eventArgsMock);
     }
 
@@ -75,15 +91,42 @@ class ListenerTest extends \PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
         $objectName = 'FOQ\ElasticaBundle\Tests\Doctrine\MongoDB\Document';
         $document     = new Document();
 
-        $eventArgsMock->expects($this->once())
+        $eventArgsMock->expects($this->any())
             ->method('getDocument')
             ->will($this->returnValue($document));
 
         $persisterMock->expects($this->once())
-            ->method('deleteOne')
-            ->with($this->equalTo($document));
+            ->method('deleteById')
+            ->with($this->equalTo(self::DOCUMENT_ID));
 
-        $listener = new Listener($persisterMock, $objectName, array(), null);
+        $listener = new Listener($persisterMock, $objectName, array());
+        $listener->preRemove($eventArgsMock);
+        $listener->postRemove($eventArgsMock);
+    }
+
+    public function testObjectWithNonStandardIdentifierDeletedOnRemove()
+    {
+        $persisterMock = $this->getMockBuilder('FOQ\ElasticaBundle\Persister\ObjectPersisterInterface')
+            ->disableOriginalConstructor()
+            ->getMock();
+
+        $eventArgsMock = $this->getMockBuilder('Doctrine\ODM\MongoDB\Event\LifecycleEventArgs')
+            ->disableOriginalConstructor()
+            ->getMock();
+
+        $objectName = 'FOQ\ElasticaBundle\Tests\Doctrine\MongoDB\Document';
+        $document   = new Document();
+
+        $eventArgsMock->expects($this->any())
+            ->method('getDocument')
+            ->will($this->returnValue($document));
+
+        $persisterMock->expects($this->once())
+            ->method('deleteById')
+            ->with($this->equalTo(self::DOCUMENT_IDENTIFIER));
+
+        $listener = new Listener($persisterMock, $objectName, array(), 'identifier');
+        $listener->preRemove($eventArgsMock);
         $listener->postRemove($eventArgsMock);
     }
 
diff --git a/Tests/Doctrine/ORM/ListenerTest.php b/Tests/Doctrine/ORM/ListenerTest.php
index ac733f7..9bf376b 100644
--- a/Tests/Doctrine/ORM/ListenerTest.php
+++ b/Tests/Doctrine/ORM/ListenerTest.php
@@ -4,7 +4,20 @@ namespace FOQ\ElasticaBundle\Tests\Doctrine\ORM;
 
 use FOQ\ElasticaBundle\Doctrine\ORM\Listener;
 
-class Entity{}
+class Entity
+{
+
+    public function getId()
+    {
+        return ListenerTest::ENTITY_ID;
+    }
+
+    public function getIdentifier()
+    {
+        return ListenerTest::ENTITY_IDENTIFIER;
+    }
+
+}
 
 /**
  * @author Richard Miller <info@limethinking.co.uk>
@@ -12,6 +25,9 @@ class Entity{}
 class ListenerTest extends \PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
 {
 
+    const ENTITY_ID = 21;
+    const ENTITY_IDENTIFIER = 912;
+
     public function testObjectInsertedOnPersist()
     {
         $persisterMock = $this->getMockBuilder('FOQ\ElasticaBundle\Persister\ObjectPersisterInterface')
@@ -33,7 +49,7 @@ class ListenerTest extends \PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
             ->method('insertOne')
             ->with($this->equalTo($entity));
 
-        $listener = new Listener($persisterMock, $objectName, array(), null);
+        $listener = new Listener($persisterMock, $objectName, array());
         $listener->postPersist($eventArgsMock);
     }
 
@@ -58,7 +74,7 @@ class ListenerTest extends \PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
             ->method('replaceOne')
             ->with($this->equalTo($entity));
 
-        $listener = new Listener($persisterMock, $objectName, array(), null);
+        $listener = new Listener($persisterMock, $objectName, array());
         $listener->postUpdate($eventArgsMock);
     }
 
@@ -75,15 +91,42 @@ class ListenerTest extends \PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
         $objectName = 'FOQ\ElasticaBundle\Tests\Doctrine\ORM\Entity';
         $entity     = new Entity;
 
-        $eventArgsMock->expects($this->once())
+        $eventArgsMock->expects($this->any())
             ->method('getEntity')
             ->will($this->returnValue($entity));
 
         $persisterMock->expects($this->once())
-            ->method('deleteOne')
-            ->with($this->equalTo($entity));
+            ->method('deleteById')
+            ->with($this->equalTo(self::ENTITY_ID));
 
-        $listener = new Listener($persisterMock, $objectName, array(), null);
+        $listener = new Listener($persisterMock, $objectName, array());
+        $listener->preRemove($eventArgsMock);
+        $listener->postRemove($eventArgsMock);
+    }
+
+    public function testObjectWithNonStandardIdentifierDeletedOnRemove()
+    {
+        $persisterMock = $this->getMockBuilder('FOQ\ElasticaBundle\Persister\ObjectPersisterInterface')
+            ->disableOriginalConstructor()
+            ->getMock();
+
+        $eventArgsMock = $this->getMockBuilder('Doctrine\ORM\Event\LifecycleEventArgs')
+            ->disableOriginalConstructor()
+            ->getMock();
+
+        $objectName = 'FOQ\ElasticaBundle\Tests\Doctrine\ORM\Entity';
+        $entity     = new Entity;
+
+        $eventArgsMock->expects($this->any())
+            ->method('getEntity')
+            ->will($this->returnValue($entity));
+
+        $persisterMock->expects($this->once())
+            ->method('deleteById')
+            ->with($this->equalTo(self::ENTITY_IDENTIFIER));
+
+        $listener = new Listener($persisterMock, $objectName, array(), 'identifier');
+        $listener->preRemove($eventArgsMock);
         $listener->postRemove($eventArgsMock);
     }