diff --git a/lib/instances/delete.go b/lib/instances/delete.go
index e1e0bb012..7826803c2 100644
--- a/lib/instances/delete.go
+++ b/lib/instances/delete.go
@@ -145,13 +145,12 @@ func (m *manager) deleteInstanceWithOptions(
 	m.closeFirecrackerUFFDSession(ctx, stored)
 
 	// Release before deleting metadata so a failed release can be retried safely.
-	hadVGPUAssignment := storedVGPUDevicePath(stored) != ""
-	if hadVGPUAssignment {
+	if storedVGPUDevicePath(stored) != "" {
 		log.InfoContext(ctx, "destroying vGPU", "instance_id", id, "uuid", stored.GPUMdevUUID)
-	}
-	if err := m.releaseStoredVGPUPersisted(ctx, meta); err != nil {
-		log.ErrorContext(ctx, "failed to destroy vGPU; retaining instance metadata for retry", "instance_id", id, "uuid", stored.GPUMdevUUID, "error", err)
-		return fmt.Errorf("release vGPU: %w", err)
+		if err := m.releaseStoredVGPUPersisted(ctx, meta); err != nil {
+			log.ErrorContext(ctx, "failed to destroy vGPU; retaining instance metadata for retry", "instance_id", id, "uuid", stored.GPUMdevUUID, "error", err)
+			return fmt.Errorf("release vGPU: %w", err)
+		}
 	}
 
 	// 6. Release network allocation
diff --git a/lib/instances/lifecycle_noop_test.go b/lib/instances/lifecycle_noop_test.go
index cb11eefae..11d1a874f 100644
--- a/lib/instances/lifecycle_noop_test.go
+++ b/lib/instances/lifecycle_noop_test.go
@@ -150,6 +150,31 @@ func TestLifecycleNoopStandbyWithOptionsStillRejectsStandbyInstance(t *testing.T
 	assertNoLifecycleEvent(t, events)
 }
 
+func TestDeleteWithoutVGPUDoesNotRewriteMetadata(t *testing.T) {
+	m, id := newLifecycleNoopManagerWithInstance(t, StateStopped, time.Now().UTC())
+	meta, err := m.loadMetadata(id)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	meta.Devices = []string{"dev-1"}
+	require.NoError(t, m.saveMetadata(meta))
+	before, err := os.Stat(m.paths.InstanceMetadata(id))
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	deviceManager := &recordingDeviceManager{
+		onMarkDetached: func() {
+			during, err := os.Stat(m.paths.InstanceMetadata(id))
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			// saveMetadata replaces the file, requiring free space even for deletion.
+			assert.True(t, os.SameFile(before, during), "delete without a vGPU must not rewrite metadata")
+		},
+	}
+	m.deviceManager = deviceManager
+
+	require.NoError(t, m.DeleteInstance(t.Context(), id))
+	assert.Equal(t, []string{"dev-1"}, deviceManager.detached)
+	_, err = m.loadMetadata(id)
+	require.ErrorIs(t, err, ErrNotFound)
+}
+
 func TestDeletePersistsVGPUReleaseBeforeTeardown(t *testing.T) {
 	m, id := newLifecycleNoopManagerWithInstance(t, StateStopped, time.Now().UTC())
 	var persisted *metadata