diff --git a/htlcswitch/circuit_map.go b/htlcswitch/circuit_map.go
index 3b605bbd0..6fdf36bb1 100644
--- a/htlcswitch/circuit_map.go
+++ b/htlcswitch/circuit_map.go
@@ -770,10 +770,12 @@ func (cm *circuitMap) CloseCircuit(outKey CircuitKey) (*PaymentCircuit, error) {
 	return circuit, nil
 }
 
-// DeleteCircuits destroys the target circuit by removing it from the circuit map,
-// additionally removing the circuit's keystone if the HTLC was forwarded
-// through an outgoing link. The circuit should be identified by its incoming
-// circuit key.
+// DeleteCircuits destroys the target circuits by removing them from the circuit
+// map, additionally removing the circuits' keystones if any HTLCs were
+// forwarded through an outgoing link. The circuits should be identified by its
+// incoming circuit key. If a given circuit is not found in the circuit map, it
+// will be ignored from the query. This would typically indicate that the
+// circuit was already cleaned up at a different point in time.
 func (cm *circuitMap) DeleteCircuits(inKeys ...CircuitKey) error {
 
 	log.Tracef("Deleting resolved circuits: %v", newLogClosure(func() string {
@@ -786,22 +788,15 @@ func (cm *circuitMap) DeleteCircuits(inKeys ...CircuitKey) error {
 	)
 
 	cm.mtx.Lock()
-	// First check that all provided keys are still known to the circuit
-	// map.
+	// Remove any references to the circuits from memory, keeping track of
+	// which circuits were removed, and which ones had been marked closed.
+	// This can be used to restore these entries later if the persistent
+	// removal fails.
 	for _, inKey := range inKeys {
-		if _, ok := cm.pending[inKey]; !ok {
-			cm.mtx.Unlock()
-			return ErrUnknownCircuit
+		circuit, ok := cm.pending[inKey]
+		if !ok {
+			continue
 		}
-	}
-
-	// If no offenders were found, remove any references to the circuit from
-	// memory, keeping track of which circuits were removed, and which ones
-	// had been marked closed. This can be used to restore these entries
-	// later if the persistent removal fails.
-	for _, inKey := range inKeys {
-		circuit := cm.pending[inKey]
-
 		delete(cm.pending, inKey)
 
 		if _, ok := cm.closed[inKey]; ok {