diff --git a/handlers.go b/handlers.go
index 5359283..f7f960f 100644
--- a/handlers.go
+++ b/handlers.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"crypto/sha256"
 	"encoding/hex"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 	"time"
 
@@ -119,6 +120,19 @@ func handleWebsocket(relay Relay) func(http.ResponseWriter, *http.Request) {
 							return
 						}
 
+						if evt.Kind == 5 {
+							// event deletion -- nip09
+							for _, tag := range evt.Tags {
+								if len(tag) >= 2 && tag[0] == "e" {
+									if err := relay.DeleteEvent(tag[1], evt.PubKey); err != nil {
+										notice = fmt.Sprintf("failed to delete: %s", err.Error())
+										return
+									}
+								}
+							}
+							return
+						}
+
 						err = relay.SaveEvent(&evt)
 						if err != nil {
 							notice = err.Error()
diff --git a/interface.go b/interface.go
index a46933b..37ad03d 100644
--- a/interface.go
+++ b/interface.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ type Relay interface {
 	Name() string
 	Init() error
 	SaveEvent(*nostr.Event) error
+	DeleteEvent(id string, pubkey string) error
 	QueryEvents(*nostr.Filter) ([]nostr.Event, error)
 }