diff --git a/gnovm/pkg/gnolang/uverse.go b/gnovm/pkg/gnolang/uverse.go
index 1fe8e1ad3ae..9da2c1fa854 100644
--- a/gnovm/pkg/gnolang/uverse.go
+++ b/gnovm/pkg/gnolang/uverse.go
@@ -1013,12 +1013,15 @@ func makeUverseNode() {
 				if !ok {
 					return
 				}
-				// delete
-				mv.DeleteForKey(m, m.Store, &itv)
-
-				// mark key as deleted
-				keyObj := itv.GetFirstObject(m.Store)
-				m.Realm.DidUpdate(m, mv, keyObj, nil)
+				// delete; capture the STORED key that was removed. Detaching
+				// the argument key (itv) instead orphaned the stored key object
+				// in the store — it was never DecRef'd nor marked deleted.
+				delKey := mv.DeleteForKey(m, m.Store, &itv)
+
+				// mark the STORED key object as deleted (not the argument key)
+				if delKey != nil {
+					m.Realm.DidUpdate(m, mv, delKey.GetFirstObject(m.Store), nil)
+				}
 
 				// mark value as deleted
 				valObj := val.GetFirstObject(m.Store)
diff --git a/gnovm/pkg/gnolang/values.go b/gnovm/pkg/gnolang/values.go
index 75252be54b5..77fd3bf4128 100644
--- a/gnovm/pkg/gnolang/values.go
+++ b/gnovm/pkg/gnolang/values.go
@@ -821,16 +821,22 @@ func (mv *MapValue) GetValueForKey(m *Machine, store Store, key *TypedValue) (va
 	return
 }
 
-func (mv *MapValue) DeleteForKey(m *Machine, store Store, key *TypedValue) {
+// DeleteForKey removes the entry for key and returns the STORED key TypedValue
+// that was removed (nil if the key was absent or NaN). Callers must dirty-mark /
+// DecRef this stored key's object, not the (possibly transient) argument key —
+// otherwise a non-primitive stored key object is orphaned in the store.
+func (mv *MapValue) DeleteForKey(m *Machine, store Store, key *TypedValue) (deletedKey *TypedValue) {
 	// if key is NaN, do nothing.
 	kmk, isNaN := key.ComputeMapKey(m, store, false)
 	if isNaN {
-		return
+		return nil
 	}
 	if mli, ok := mv.vmap[kmk]; ok {
 		mv.List.Remove(mli)
 		delete(mv.vmap, kmk)
+		return &mli.Key
 	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 // ----------------------------------------
diff --git a/gnovm/tests/files/zrealm_map5.gno b/gnovm/tests/files/zrealm_map5.gno
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8948f141ea5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gnovm/tests/files/zrealm_map5.gno
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+// PKGPATH: gno.land/r/test
+package test
+
+// Regression: deleting an entry whose KEY is a non-primitive (array/struct)
+// object from a persisted realm map must reclaim the stored key object — it
+// must be emitted as a deleted object (d[...]) in the finalize diff, not
+// orphaned. Before the fix the stored [1]int key object leaked (delete
+// detached the argument key, not the stored key).
+var m map[[1]int]int
+
+func init() {
+	m = map[[1]int]int{[1]int{1}: 10, [1]int{2}: 20}
+}
+
+func main(cur realm) {
+	delete(m, [1]int{1})
+	println("len:", len(m))
+}
+
+// Output:
+// len: 1
+
+// Realm:
+// finalizerealm["gno.land/r/test"]
+// u[08ada09dee16d791fd406d629fe29bb0ed084a30:7](-202)=
+//     @@ -1,31 +1,6 @@
+//      {
+//          "List": {
+//              "List": [
+//     -            {
+//     -                "Key": {
+//     -                    "T": {
+//     -                        "@type": "/gno.ArrayType",
+//     -                        "Elt": {
+//     -                            "@type": "/gno.PrimitiveType",
+//     -                            "value": "32"
+//     -                        },
+//     -                        "Len": "1",
+//     -                        "Vrd": false
+//     -                    },
+//     -                    "V": {
+//     -                        "@type": "/gno.RefValue",
+//     -                        "Hash": "983a2dfd65f409988f2165b8b8e31a3f0147a0d7",
+//     -                        "ObjectID": "08ada09dee16d791fd406d629fe29bb0ed084a30:8"
+//     -                    }
+//     -                },
+//     -                "Value": {
+//     -                    "N": "CgAAAAAAAAA=",
+//     -                    "T": {
+//     -                        "@type": "/gno.PrimitiveType",
+//     -                        "value": "32"
+//     -                    }
+//     -                }
+//     -            },
+//                  {
+//                      "Key": {
+//                          "T": {
+//     @@ -56,7 +31,7 @@
+//          "ObjectInfo": {
+//              "ID": "08ada09dee16d791fd406d629fe29bb0ed084a30:7",
+//              "LastObjectSize": "590",
+//     -        "ModTime": "0",
+//     +        "ModTime": "9",
+//              "OwnerID": "08ada09dee16d791fd406d629fe29bb0ed084a30:3",
+//              "RefCount": "1"
+//          }
+// u[08ada09dee16d791fd406d629fe29bb0ed084a30:3](0)=
+//     @@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
+//          "ObjectInfo": {
+//              "ID": "08ada09dee16d791fd406d629fe29bb0ed084a30:3",
+//              "LastObjectSize": "393",
+//     -        "ModTime": "6",
+//     +        "ModTime": "9",
+//              "OwnerID": "08ada09dee16d791fd406d629fe29bb0ed084a30:2",
+//              "RefCount": "1"
+//          },
+//     @@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
+//              },
+//              "V": {
+//                  "@type": "/gno.RefValue",
+//     -            "Hash": "a669cab1a0b6e73131ef8ee77e2ed6bedcf482e3",
+//     +            "Hash": "b8ca988c204aac98121d376916a114a3f0bee2cd",
+//                  "ObjectID": "08ada09dee16d791fd406d629fe29bb0ed084a30:7"
+//              }
+//          }
+// u[08ada09dee16d791fd406d629fe29bb0ed084a30:2](0)=
+//     @@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
+//                  },
+//                  "V": {
+//                      "@type": "/gno.RefValue",
+//     -                "Hash": "e000ab9359964c6da1719766969d91e0ab8de8dd",
+//     +                "Hash": "b3f9131b15661e4bfa46d47af69a74439c92d91c",
+//                      "ObjectID": "08ada09dee16d791fd406d629fe29bb0ed084a30:3"
+//                  }
+//              },
+// d[08ada09dee16d791fd406d629fe29bb0ed084a30:8](-213)