diff --git a/distro/changelog.xml b/distro/changelog.xml
index 8886e9e..36397f1 100644
--- a/distro/changelog.xml
+++ b/distro/changelog.xml
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@
 		<Change>[Task #17135] Workspace: assign the file extension during the
 			download
 		</Change>
+		<Change>[Feature #17091] Reconsider error message when deleting a
+			shared folder
+		</Change>
 	</Changeset>
 	<Changeset
 		component="org.gcube.portlets-user.workspace-portlet-tree.6-25-1"
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/workspace/server/GWTWorkspaceServiceImpl.java b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/workspace/server/GWTWorkspaceServiceImpl.java
index 79f8bd0..9d86725 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/workspace/server/GWTWorkspaceServiceImpl.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/workspace/server/GWTWorkspaceServiceImpl.java
@@ -2330,7 +2330,7 @@ public class GWTWorkspaceServiceImpl extends RemoteServiceServlet implements GWT
 	@Override
 	public Boolean deleteItem(String itemId) throws Exception {
 
-		boolean sourceItemIsShared = false;
+		org.gcube.common.storagehubwrapper.shared.tohl.WorkspaceItem theItem = null;
 		try {
 
 			if (itemId == null)
@@ -2339,12 +2339,11 @@ public class GWTWorkspaceServiceImpl extends RemoteServiceServlet implements GWT
 			checkItemLocked(itemId);
 
 			org.gcube.common.storagehubwrapper.server.tohl.Workspace workspaceSH = getWorkspaceFromStorageHub();
-			org.gcube.common.storagehubwrapper.shared.tohl.WorkspaceItem theItem = workspaceSH.getItem(itemId);
-			sourceItemIsShared = theItem.isShared();
+			theItem = workspaceSH.getItem(itemId);
 			String itemName = theItem.getName();
 			String sourceFolderSharedId = null;
 
-			if (sourceItemIsShared) {
+			if (theItem.isShared()) {
 				org.gcube.common.storagehubwrapper.shared.tohl.WorkspaceItem rootSharedFolder = workspaceSH
 						.getRootSharedFolder(itemId);
 				sourceFolderSharedId = rootSharedFolder.getId();
@@ -2355,7 +2354,7 @@ public class GWTWorkspaceServiceImpl extends RemoteServiceServlet implements GWT
 			workspaceSH.deleteItem(itemId);
 
 			if (sourceFolderSharedId != null)
-				NotificationsUtil.checkSendNotifyRemoveItemToShare(this.getThreadLocalRequest(), sourceItemIsShared,
+				NotificationsUtil.checkSendNotifyRemoveItemToShare(this.getThreadLocalRequest(), theItem.isShared(),
 						itemName, itemId, sourceFolderSharedId);
 
 			return Boolean.TRUE;
@@ -2381,8 +2380,12 @@ public class GWTWorkspaceServiceImpl extends RemoteServiceServlet implements GWT
 		} catch (Exception e) {
 			workspaceLogger.error("Remoing item error:", e);
 			StringBuilder error = new StringBuilder();
-			if(sourceItemIsShared) {
-				error.append("Ops! This operation is not allowed, we're working hard to make this possible soon.");
+			if(theItem!=null && theItem.isShared()) {
+				if(theItem.isFolder()) {
+					error.append("Deleting shared folders is not supported. Please unshare it if you are willing to no longer share its content to your coworkers.");
+				}else {
+					error.append("Ops! This operation is not allowed, we're working hard to make this possible soon.");
+				}
 				throw new SHUBOperationNotAllowedException(error.toString());
 			}else {
 				error.append("Ops an error occurred deleting the item! Either you have not the permission to delete it or a server error occurred. Please, refresh and try again");