diff --git a/lua/telescope/actions/init.lua b/lua/telescope/actions/init.lua
index 0413f33..0382014 100644
--- a/lua/telescope/actions/init.lua
+++ b/lua/telescope/actions/init.lua
@@ -1020,7 +1020,9 @@ end
 actions.delete_buffer = function(prompt_bufnr)
   local current_picker = action_state.get_current_picker(prompt_bufnr)
   current_picker:delete_selection(function(selection)
-    vim.api.nvim_buf_delete(selection.bufnr, { force = false })
+    local force = vim.api.nvim_buf_get_option(selection.bufnr, "buftype") == "terminal"
+    local ok = pcall(vim.api.nvim_buf_delete, selection.bufnr, { force = force })
+    return ok
   end)
 end
 
diff --git a/lua/telescope/pickers.lua b/lua/telescope/pickers.lua
index 4cc1623..9397c57 100644
--- a/lua/telescope/pickers.lua
+++ b/lua/telescope/pickers.lua
@@ -693,7 +693,7 @@ end
 ---
 --- Example usage in telescope:
 ---   - `actions.delete_buffer()`
----@param delete_cb function: called with each deleted selection
+---@param delete_cb function: called for each selection fn(s) -> bool|nil (true|nil removes the entry from the results)
 function Picker:delete_selection(delete_cb)
   vim.validate { delete_cb = { delete_cb, "f" } }
   local original_selection_strategy = self.selection_strategy
@@ -719,8 +719,10 @@ function Picker:delete_selection(delete_cb)
     return x > y
   end)
   for _, index in ipairs(selection_index) do
-    local selection = table.remove(self.finder.results, index)
-    delete_cb(selection)
+    local delete_cb_return = delete_cb(self.finder.results[index])
+    if delete_cb_return == nil or delete_cb_return == true then
+      table.remove(self.finder.results, index)
+    end
   end
 
   if used_multi_select then