diff --git a/lib/taskana-core/src/main/java/pro/taskana/classification/internal/ClassificationServiceImpl.java b/lib/taskana-core/src/main/java/pro/taskana/classification/internal/ClassificationServiceImpl.java
index 6b2ec9ab7..751806c35 100644
--- a/lib/taskana-core/src/main/java/pro/taskana/classification/internal/ClassificationServiceImpl.java
+++ b/lib/taskana-core/src/main/java/pro/taskana/classification/internal/ClassificationServiceImpl.java
@@ -154,6 +154,7 @@ public class ClassificationServiceImpl implements ClassificationService {
         if (isReferentialIntegrityConstraintViolation(e)) {
           throw new ClassificationInUseException(classification, e);
         }
+        throw e;
       }
     } finally {
       taskanaEngine.returnConnection();
diff --git a/rest/taskana-rest-spring/src/main/java/pro/taskana/classification/rest/ClassificationController.java b/rest/taskana-rest-spring/src/main/java/pro/taskana/classification/rest/ClassificationController.java
index c51b98e45..00cd5930b 100644
--- a/rest/taskana-rest-spring/src/main/java/pro/taskana/classification/rest/ClassificationController.java
+++ b/rest/taskana-rest-spring/src/main/java/pro/taskana/classification/rest/ClassificationController.java
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ public class ClassificationController {
    * @throws NotAuthorizedException if the user is not authorized to delete a Classification
    */
   @DeleteMapping(path = RestEndpoints.URL_CLASSIFICATIONS_ID)
-  @Transactional(readOnly = true, rollbackFor = Exception.class)
+  @Transactional(rollbackFor = Exception.class)
   public ResponseEntity<ClassificationRepresentationModel> deleteClassification(
       @PathVariable String classificationId)
       throws ClassificationNotFoundException, ClassificationInUseException, NotAuthorizedException {