diff --git a/asterixdb/asterix-app/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/utils/RebalanceUtil.java b/asterixdb/asterix-app/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/utils/RebalanceUtil.java
index 7ad90ad..429cda9 100644
--- a/asterixdb/asterix-app/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/utils/RebalanceUtil.java
+++ b/asterixdb/asterix-app/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/utils/RebalanceUtil.java
@@ -419,7 +419,7 @@
             // drop dataset entry from metadata
             runMetadataTransaction(metadataProvider,
                     () -> MetadataManager.INSTANCE.dropDataset(metadataProvider.getMetadataTxnContext(),
-                            dataset.getDataverseName(), dataset.getDatasetName(), false));
+                            dataset.getDataverseName(), dataset.getDatasetName(), true));
             MetadataManager.INSTANCE.commitTransaction(metadataProvider.getMetadataTxnContext());
             // try to drop the dataset's node group
             runMetadataTransaction(metadataProvider, () -> tryDropDatasetNodegroup(dataset, metadataProvider));