diff --git a/rm-server/source/java/org/alfresco/module/org_alfresco_module_rm/role/FilePlanRoleServiceImpl.java b/rm-server/source/java/org/alfresco/module/org_alfresco_module_rm/role/FilePlanRoleServiceImpl.java
index 7fc5036ea7..db18ee0269 100644
--- a/rm-server/source/java/org/alfresco/module/org_alfresco_module_rm/role/FilePlanRoleServiceImpl.java
+++ b/rm-server/source/java/org/alfresco/module/org_alfresco_module_rm/role/FilePlanRoleServiceImpl.java
@@ -784,6 +784,12 @@ public class FilePlanRoleServiceImpl implements FilePlanRoleService,
             throw new AlfrescoRuntimeException("Can not delete the records management administration role.");
         }
 
+        // ensure that we are not trying to delete a system role
+        if (FilePlanRoleService.SYSTEM_ROLES.contains(role))
+        {
+            throw new AlfrescoRuntimeException("'" + role + "' is a system role and cannot be deleted.");
+        }
+
         AuthenticationUtil.runAs(new AuthenticationUtil.RunAsWork<Object>()
         {
             public Boolean doWork() throws Exception
diff --git a/rm-server/source/java/org/alfresco/module/org_alfresco_module_rm/script/admin/RmRoleDelete.java b/rm-server/source/java/org/alfresco/module/org_alfresco_module_rm/script/admin/RmRoleDelete.java
index 6c66bfec70..783776454d 100644
--- a/rm-server/source/java/org/alfresco/module/org_alfresco_module_rm/script/admin/RmRoleDelete.java
+++ b/rm-server/source/java/org/alfresco/module/org_alfresco_module_rm/script/admin/RmRoleDelete.java
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.Map;
 
 import org.alfresco.service.cmr.repository.NodeRef;
+import org.apache.commons.lang.StringUtils;
 import org.springframework.extensions.webscripts.Cache;
 import org.springframework.extensions.webscripts.Status;
 import org.springframework.extensions.webscripts.WebScriptException;
@@ -45,7 +46,7 @@ public class RmRoleDelete extends RoleDeclarativeWebScript
         // Role name
         Map<String, String> templateVars = req.getServiceMatch().getTemplateVars();
         String roleParam = templateVars.get("rolename");
-        if (roleParam == null)
+        if (StringUtils.isBlank(roleParam))
         {
             throw new WebScriptException(Status.STATUS_NOT_FOUND, "No role name was provided on the URL.");
         }