diff --git a/src/Gui/DlgParameterImp.cpp b/src/Gui/DlgParameterImp.cpp
index eb09ecc2e7..6a9ca967f6 100644
--- a/src/Gui/DlgParameterImp.cpp
+++ b/src/Gui/DlgParameterImp.cpp
@@ -404,16 +404,21 @@ void ParameterGroup::onDeleteSelectedItem()
     QTreeWidgetItem* sel = currentItem();
     if (isItemSelected(sel) && sel->parent())
     {
-        if ( QMessageBox::question(this, tr("Remove group"), tr("Do really want to remove this parameter group?"),
+        if ( QMessageBox::question(this, tr("Remove group"), tr("Do you really want to remove this parameter group?"),
                                QMessageBox::Yes, QMessageBox::No|QMessageBox::Default|QMessageBox::Escape) == 
                                QMessageBox::Yes )
         {
             QTreeWidgetItem* parent = sel->parent();
             int index = parent->indexOfChild(sel);
             parent->takeChild(index);
-            ParameterGroupItem* para = static_cast<ParameterGroupItem*>(parent);
-            para->_hcGrp->RemoveGrp(sel->text(0).toLatin1());
+
+            std::string groupName = sel->text(0).toLatin1();
+            // must delete the tree item here because it and its children still
+            // hold a reference to the parameter group
             delete sel;
+
+            ParameterGroupItem* para = static_cast<ParameterGroupItem*>(parent);
+            para->_hcGrp->RemoveGrp(groupName.c_str());
         }
     }
 }