diff --git a/src/gam/__init__.py b/src/gam/__init__.py
index 4b9c4e71..6cd78c0e 100755
--- a/src/gam/__init__.py
+++ b/src/gam/__init__.py
@@ -9445,13 +9445,6 @@ def doDeprovUser(users):
         print(f'Done deprovisioning {user}')
 
 
-def doDeleteUser():
-    cd = buildGAPIObject('directory')
-    user_email = normalizeEmailAddressOrUID(sys.argv[3])
-    print(f'Deleting account for {user_email}')
-    gapi.call(cd.users(), 'delete', userKey=user_email)
-
-
 def doUndeleteUser():
     cd = buildGAPIObject('directory')
     user = normalizeEmailAddressOrUID(sys.argv[3])
@@ -11626,7 +11619,7 @@ def ProcessGAMCommand(args):
         elif command == 'delete':
             argument = sys.argv[2].lower()
             if argument == 'user':
-                doDeleteUser()
+                gapi_directory_users.delete()
             elif argument == 'group':
                 gapi_directory_groups.delete()
             elif argument == 'device':
diff --git a/src/gam/gapi/directory/users.py b/src/gam/gapi/directory/users.py
index 495d1fe4..e8192109 100644
--- a/src/gam/gapi/directory/users.py
+++ b/src/gam/gapi/directory/users.py
@@ -1,11 +1,28 @@
+import sys
 from time import sleep
 
 import gam
+from gam import display
 from gam import gapi
 from gam.gapi import directory as gapi_directory
 from gam.gapi import errors as gapi_errors
 
 
+def delete():
+    cd = gapi_directory.build()
+    user_email = gam.normalizeEmailAddressOrUID(sys.argv[3])
+    print(f'Deleting account for {user_email}')
+    try:
+        gapi.call(cd.users(),
+                  'delete',
+                  userKey=user_email,
+                  throw_reasons=[gapi_errors.ErrorReason.CONDITION_NOT_MET])
+    except gam.gapi.errors.GapiConditionNotMetError as err:
+        display.print_error(
+            f'{err} The user {user_email} may be (or have recently been) on Google Vault Hold and thus not eligible for deletion. You can check holds with "gam user <email> show vaultholds".'
+        )
+
+
 def get_primary(email):
     '''returns primary email of user or empty if email is not a user primary or
     alias address.'''