diff --git a/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/repository/RelationshipRestRepository.java b/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/repository/RelationshipRestRepository.java
index 75e3443cec..d16bd33498 100644
--- a/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/repository/RelationshipRestRepository.java
+++ b/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/repository/RelationshipRestRepository.java
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ import org.dspace.content.service.RelationshipTypeService;
 import org.dspace.core.Constants;
 import org.dspace.core.Context;
 import org.dspace.eperson.EPerson;
+import org.dspace.services.RequestService;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
 import org.springframework.data.domain.Page;
 import org.springframework.data.domain.Pageable;
@@ -72,6 +73,9 @@ public class RelationshipRestRepository extends DSpaceRestRepository<Relationshi
     @Autowired
     private AuthorizeService authorizeService;
 
+    @Autowired
+    private RequestService requestService;
+
 
     public RelationshipRest findOne(Context context, Integer integer) {
         try {
@@ -285,12 +289,34 @@ public class RelationshipRestRepository extends DSpaceRestRepository<Relationshi
 
     @Override
     protected void delete(Context context, Integer id) throws AuthorizeException {
+        String copyVirtual =
+            requestService.getCurrentRequest().getServletRequest().getParameter("copyVirtualMetadata");
+        if (copyVirtual == null) {
+            copyVirtual = "none";
+        }
+
         Relationship relationship = null;
         try {
             relationship = relationshipService.find(context, id);
             if (relationship != null) {
                 try {
-                    relationshipService.delete(context, relationship);
+                    switch (copyVirtual) {
+                        case "all":
+                            relationshipService.delete(context, relationship, true, true);
+                            break;
+                        case "left":
+                            relationshipService.delete(context, relationship, true, false);
+                            break;
+                        case "right":
+                            relationshipService.delete(context, relationship, false, true);
+                            break;
+                        case "configured":
+                            relationshipService.delete(context, relationship);
+                            break;
+                        default:
+                            relationshipService.delete(context, relationship, false, false);
+                            break;
+                    }
                 } catch (AuthorizeException e) {
                     throw new AccessDeniedException("You do not have write rights on this relationship's items");
                 }
diff --git a/dspace-server-webapp/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/RelationshipDeleteRestRepositoryIT.java b/dspace-server-webapp/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/RelationshipDeleteRestRepositoryIT.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c77dff659b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dspace-server-webapp/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/RelationshipDeleteRestRepositoryIT.java
@@ -0,0 +1,239 @@
+/**
+ * The contents of this file are subject to the license and copyright
+ * detailed in the LICENSE and NOTICE files at the root of the source
+ * tree and available online at
+ *
+ * http://www.dspace.org/license/
+ */
+package org.dspace.app.rest;
+
+import static org.hamcrest.CoreMatchers.equalTo;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertNull;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertThat;
+import static org.springframework.test.web.servlet.request.MockMvcRequestBuilders.delete;
+import static org.springframework.test.web.servlet.result.MockMvcResultMatchers.status;
+
+import java.util.List;
+
+import org.dspace.app.rest.builder.CollectionBuilder;
+import org.dspace.app.rest.builder.CommunityBuilder;
+import org.dspace.app.rest.builder.ItemBuilder;
+import org.dspace.app.rest.builder.RelationshipBuilder;
+import org.dspace.app.rest.test.AbstractEntityIntegrationTest;
+import org.dspace.content.Collection;
+import org.dspace.content.Community;
+import org.dspace.content.Item;
+import org.dspace.content.MetadataValue;
+import org.dspace.content.Relationship;
+import org.dspace.content.RelationshipType;
+import org.dspace.content.service.EntityTypeService;
+import org.dspace.content.service.ItemService;
+import org.dspace.content.service.RelationshipTypeService;
+import org.junit.Before;
+import org.junit.Test;
+import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
+
+public class RelationshipDeleteRestRepositoryIT extends AbstractEntityIntegrationTest {
+
+    @Autowired
+    private EntityTypeService entityTypeService;
+
+    @Autowired
+    private ItemService itemService;
+
+    @Autowired
+    private RelationshipTypeService relationshipTypeService;
+
+    private Item leftItem;
+    private Item rightItem;
+    private Collection collection;
+    private RelationshipType relationshipType;
+    private Relationship relationship;
+    private String adminAuthToken;
+
+    @Before
+    @Override
+    public void setUp() throws Exception {
+        super.setUp();
+        adminAuthToken = getAuthToken(admin.getEmail(), password);
+
+        context.turnOffAuthorisationSystem();
+        Community community = CommunityBuilder.createCommunity(context)
+            .withName("Parent community")
+            .build();
+        collection = CollectionBuilder.createCollection(context, community)
+            .withName("Collection")
+            .build();
+        context.restoreAuthSystemState();
+    }
+
+    private void initPublicationAuthor() throws Exception {
+        context.turnOffAuthorisationSystem();
+
+        leftItem = ItemBuilder.createItem(context, collection)
+            .withTitle("Left item")
+            .withRelationshipType("Publication")
+            .build();
+        rightItem = ItemBuilder.createItem(context, collection)
+            .withTitle("Right item")
+            .withRelationshipType("Person")
+            .withPersonIdentifierFirstName("firstName")
+            .withPersonIdentifierLastName("familyName")
+            .build();
+        relationshipType = relationshipTypeService
+            .findbyTypesAndLabels(context, entityTypeService.findByEntityType(context, "Publication"),
+                entityTypeService.findByEntityType(context, "Person"),
+                "isAuthorOfPublication", "isPublicationOfAuthor");
+        relationship = RelationshipBuilder.createRelationshipBuilder(context, leftItem, rightItem, relationshipType)
+            .withLeftPlace(0)
+            .build();
+
+        context.restoreAuthSystemState();
+    }
+
+    private void initJournalVolumeIssue() throws Exception {
+        context.turnOffAuthorisationSystem();
+
+        leftItem = ItemBuilder.createItem(context, collection)
+            .withTitle("Left item")
+            .withRelationshipType("JournalIssue")
+            .withPublicationIssueNumber("2")
+            .build();
+        rightItem = ItemBuilder.createItem(context, collection)
+            .withTitle("Right item")
+            .withRelationshipType("JournalVolume")
+            .withPublicationVolumeNumber("30")
+            .build();
+        relationshipType = relationshipTypeService
+            .findbyTypesAndLabels(context, entityTypeService.findByEntityType(context, "JournalIssue"),
+                entityTypeService.findByEntityType(context, "JournalVolume"),
+                "isJournalVolumeOfIssue", "isIssueOfJournalVolume");
+        relationship = RelationshipBuilder.createRelationshipBuilder(context, leftItem, rightItem, relationshipType)
+            .withLeftPlace(0)
+            .build();
+
+        context.restoreAuthSystemState();
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testDeleteAuthorRelationshipCopyToLeftItem() throws Exception {
+        initPublicationAuthor();
+
+        getClient(adminAuthToken).perform(
+            delete("/api/core/relationships/" + relationship.getID() + "?copyVirtualMetadata=left"))
+            .andExpect(status().isNoContent());
+
+        leftItem = itemService.find(context, leftItem.getID());
+        List<MetadataValue> authorList = itemService.getMetadata(leftItem, "dc", "contributor", "author", Item.ANY);
+        assertThat(authorList.size(), equalTo(1));
+        assertThat(authorList.get(0).getValue(), equalTo("familyName, firstName"));
+        assertThat(authorList.get(0).getMetadataField().getMetadataSchema().getName(), equalTo("dc"));
+        assertThat(authorList.get(0).getMetadataField().getElement(), equalTo("contributor"));
+        assertThat(authorList.get(0).getMetadataField().getQualifier(), equalTo("author"));
+        assertNull(authorList.get(0).getAuthority());
+
+        List<MetadataValue> relationshipMetadataList = itemService
+            .getMetadata(leftItem, "relation", "isAuthorOfPublication", null, Item.ANY);
+        assertThat(relationshipMetadataList.size(), equalTo(0));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testAuthorDeleteRelationshipCopyToRightItem() throws Exception {
+        initPublicationAuthor();
+
+        getClient(adminAuthToken).perform(
+            delete("/api/core/relationships/" + relationship.getID() + "?copyVirtualMetadata=right"))
+            .andExpect(status().isNoContent());
+
+        leftItem = itemService.find(context, leftItem.getID());
+        List<MetadataValue> authorList = itemService.getMetadata(leftItem, "dc", "contributor", "author", Item.ANY);
+        assertThat(authorList.size(), equalTo(0));
+
+        List<MetadataValue> relationshipMetadataList = itemService
+            .getMetadata(leftItem, "relation", "isAuthorOfPublication", null, Item.ANY);
+        assertThat(relationshipMetadataList.size(), equalTo(0));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testDeleteAuthorRelationshipCopyToBothItems() throws Exception {
+        initPublicationAuthor();
+
+        getClient(adminAuthToken).perform(
+            delete("/api/core/relationships/" + relationship.getID() + "?copyVirtualMetadata=all"))
+            .andExpect(status().isNoContent());
+
+        leftItem = itemService.find(context, leftItem.getID());
+        List<MetadataValue> authorList = itemService.getMetadata(leftItem, "dc", "contributor", "author", Item.ANY);
+        assertThat(authorList.size(), equalTo(1));
+        assertThat(authorList.get(0).getValue(), equalTo("familyName, firstName"));
+        assertThat(authorList.get(0).getMetadataField().getMetadataSchema().getName(), equalTo("dc"));
+        assertThat(authorList.get(0).getMetadataField().getElement(), equalTo("contributor"));
+        assertThat(authorList.get(0).getMetadataField().getQualifier(), equalTo("author"));
+        assertNull(authorList.get(0).getAuthority());
+
+        List<MetadataValue> relationshipMetadataList = itemService
+            .getMetadata(leftItem, "relation", "isAuthorOfPublication", null, Item.ANY);
+        assertThat(relationshipMetadataList.size(), equalTo(0));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testDeleteJournalRelationshipCopyToLeftItem() throws Exception {
+        initJournalVolumeIssue();
+
+        getClient(adminAuthToken).perform(
+            delete("/api/core/relationships/" + relationship.getID() + "?copyVirtualMetadata=left"))
+            .andExpect(status().isNoContent());
+
+        leftItem = itemService.find(context, leftItem.getID());
+        List<MetadataValue> volumeList =
+            itemService.getMetadata(leftItem, "publicationvolume", "volumeNumber", null, Item.ANY);
+        assertThat(volumeList.size(), equalTo(1));
+        assertThat(volumeList.get(0).getValue(), equalTo("30"));
+
+        rightItem = itemService.find(context, rightItem.getID());
+        List<MetadataValue> issueList =
+            itemService.getMetadata(rightItem, "publicationissue", "issueNumber", null, Item.ANY);
+        assertThat(issueList.size(), equalTo(0));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testJournalDeleteRelationshipCopyToRightItem() throws Exception {
+        initJournalVolumeIssue();
+
+        getClient(adminAuthToken).perform(
+            delete("/api/core/relationships/" + relationship.getID() + "?copyVirtualMetadata=right"))
+            .andExpect(status().isNoContent());
+
+        leftItem = itemService.find(context, leftItem.getID());
+        List<MetadataValue> volumeList =
+            itemService.getMetadata(leftItem, "publicationvolume", "volumeNumber", null, Item.ANY);
+        assertThat(volumeList.size(), equalTo(0));
+
+        rightItem = itemService.find(context, rightItem.getID());
+        List<MetadataValue> issueList =
+            itemService.getMetadata(rightItem, "publicationissue", "issueNumber", null, Item.ANY);
+        assertThat(issueList.size(), equalTo(1));
+        assertThat(issueList.get(0).getValue(), equalTo("2"));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testDeleteJournalRelationshipCopyToBothItems() throws Exception {
+        initJournalVolumeIssue();
+
+        getClient(adminAuthToken).perform(
+            delete("/api/core/relationships/" + relationship.getID() + "?copyVirtualMetadata=all"))
+            .andExpect(status().isNoContent());
+
+        leftItem = itemService.find(context, leftItem.getID());
+        List<MetadataValue> volumeList =
+            itemService.getMetadata(leftItem, "publicationvolume", "volumeNumber", null, Item.ANY);
+        assertThat(volumeList.size(), equalTo(1));
+        assertThat(volumeList.get(0).getValue(), equalTo("30"));
+
+        rightItem = itemService.find(context, rightItem.getID());
+        List<MetadataValue> issueList =
+            itemService.getMetadata(rightItem, "publicationissue", "issueNumber", null, Item.ANY);
+        assertThat(issueList.size(), equalTo(1));
+        assertThat(issueList.get(0).getValue(), equalTo("2"));
+    }
+}
diff --git a/dspace-server-webapp/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/RelationshipTypeRestRepositoryIT.java b/dspace-server-webapp/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/RelationshipTypeRestRepositoryIT.java
index 79bf523c26..7bfd124fbb 100644
--- a/dspace-server-webapp/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/RelationshipTypeRestRepositoryIT.java
+++ b/dspace-server-webapp/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/RelationshipTypeRestRepositoryIT.java
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ public class RelationshipTypeRestRepositoryIT extends AbstractEntityIntegrationT
 
     @Test
     public void findAllRelationshipTypesTest() throws SQLException {
-        assertEquals(10, relationshipTypeService.findAll(context).size());
+        assertEquals(11, relationshipTypeService.findAll(context).size());
     }
 
     @Test
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ public class RelationshipTypeRestRepositoryIT extends AbstractEntityIntegrationT
                    //We expect a 200 OK status
                    .andExpect(status().isOk())
                    //The type has to be 'discover'
-                   .andExpect(jsonPath("$.page.totalElements", is(10)))
+                   .andExpect(jsonPath("$.page.totalElements", is(11)))
                    //There needs to be a self link to this endpoint
                    .andExpect(jsonPath("$._links.self.href", containsString("api/core/relationshiptypes")))
                    //We have 4 facets in the default configuration, they need to all be present in the embedded section
@@ -156,7 +156,8 @@ public class RelationshipTypeRestRepositoryIT extends AbstractEntityIntegrationT
                        RelationshipTypeMatcher.matchRelationshipTypeEntry(relationshipTypes.get(6)),
                        RelationshipTypeMatcher.matchRelationshipTypeEntry(relationshipTypes.get(7)),
                        RelationshipTypeMatcher.matchRelationshipTypeEntry(relationshipTypes.get(8)),
-                       RelationshipTypeMatcher.matchRelationshipTypeEntry(relationshipTypes.get(9)))
+                       RelationshipTypeMatcher.matchRelationshipTypeEntry(relationshipTypes.get(9)),
+                       RelationshipTypeMatcher.matchRelationshipTypeEntry(relationshipTypes.get(10)))
                    ));
     }
 
diff --git a/dspace-server-webapp/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/builder/ItemBuilder.java b/dspace-server-webapp/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/builder/ItemBuilder.java
index 28a600a3c3..cb195cf026 100644
--- a/dspace-server-webapp/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/builder/ItemBuilder.java
+++ b/dspace-server-webapp/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/builder/ItemBuilder.java
@@ -84,6 +84,14 @@ public class ItemBuilder extends AbstractDSpaceObjectBuilder<Item> {
         return addMetadataValue(item, "relationship", "type", null, relationshipType);
     }
 
+    public ItemBuilder withPublicationIssueNumber(final String issueNumber) {
+        return addMetadataValue(item, "publicationissue", "issueNumber", null, issueNumber);
+    }
+
+    public ItemBuilder withPublicationVolumeNumber(final String volumeNumber) {
+        return addMetadataValue(item, "publicationvolume", "volumeNumber", null, volumeNumber);
+    }
+
     public ItemBuilder makeUnDiscoverable() {
         item.setDiscoverable(false);
         return this;
diff --git a/dspace-server-webapp/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/test/AbstractEntityIntegrationTest.java b/dspace-server-webapp/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/test/AbstractEntityIntegrationTest.java
index 5308551aaf..a193c0a616 100644
--- a/dspace-server-webapp/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/test/AbstractEntityIntegrationTest.java
+++ b/dspace-server-webapp/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/test/AbstractEntityIntegrationTest.java
@@ -89,6 +89,11 @@ public class AbstractEntityIntegrationTest extends AbstractControllerIntegration
                                                               null, 1,
                                                               1).build();
 
+        RelationshipTypeBuilder.createRelationshipTypeBuilder(context, journalIssue, journalVolume,
+                                                                "isJournalVolumeOfIssue", "isIssueOfJournalVolume",
+                                                                null, null, null,
+                                                                null).build();
+
         RelationshipTypeBuilder.createRelationshipTypeBuilder(context, publication, orgUnit, "isAuthorOfPublication",
                                                               "isPublicationOfAuthor", 0, null, 0,
                                                               null).build();