diff --git a/src/main/java/it/geosolutions/geoserver/rest/GeoServerRESTPublisher.java b/src/main/java/it/geosolutions/geoserver/rest/GeoServerRESTPublisher.java
index a37644c..4a49f1d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/it/geosolutions/geoserver/rest/GeoServerRESTPublisher.java
+++ b/src/main/java/it/geosolutions/geoserver/rest/GeoServerRESTPublisher.java
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ package it.geosolutions.geoserver.rest;
 import it.geosolutions.geoserver.rest.decoder.RESTCoverage;
 import it.geosolutions.geoserver.rest.decoder.RESTCoverageStore;
 import it.geosolutions.geoserver.rest.decoder.RESTStructuredCoverageGranulesList;
+import it.geosolutions.geoserver.rest.decoder.RESTStyleList;
+import it.geosolutions.geoserver.rest.decoder.utils.NameLinkElem;
 import it.geosolutions.geoserver.rest.encoder.GSBackupEncoder;
 import it.geosolutions.geoserver.rest.encoder.GSLayerEncoder;
 import it.geosolutions.geoserver.rest.encoder.GSLayerGroupEncoder;
@@ -2102,6 +2104,9 @@ public class GeoServerRESTPublisher {
                     workspace);
             if (recurse)
                 url.append("?recurse=true");
+
+            deleteStylesForWorkspace(workspace); // !!! workaround
+
             final URL deleteUrl = new URL(url.toString());
             boolean deleted = HTTPUtils.delete(deleteUrl.toExternalForm(), gsuser, gspass);
             if (!deleted) {
@@ -2118,6 +2123,17 @@ public class GeoServerRESTPublisher {
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     *  workaround: geoserver does not delete styles inside workspaces
+     * https://jira.codehaus.org/browse/GEOS-5986
+     */
+    private void deleteStylesForWorkspace(String workspace) {
+        RESTStyleList styles = styleManager.getStyles(workspace);
+        for (NameLinkElem nameLinkElem : styles) {
+            removeStyleInWorkspace(workspace, nameLinkElem.getName(), true);
+        }
+    }
+
     /**
      * Remove a layer group.
      * 
diff --git a/src/main/java/it/geosolutions/geoserver/rest/Util.java b/src/main/java/it/geosolutions/geoserver/rest/Util.java
index be27fe5..6cee565 100644
--- a/src/main/java/it/geosolutions/geoserver/rest/Util.java
+++ b/src/main/java/it/geosolutions/geoserver/rest/Util.java
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@
 package it.geosolutions.geoserver.rest;
 
 import it.geosolutions.geoserver.rest.decoder.RESTStyle;
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.List;
 
 /**
  *
@@ -36,18 +38,20 @@ public class Util {
     /**
      * Search for a stylename in global and in all workspaces.
      */
-    public static RESTStyle searchStyle(GeoServerRESTReader reader, String stylename) {
+    public static List<RESTStyle> searchStyles(GeoServerRESTReader reader, String stylename) {
+
+        List<RESTStyle> styles = new ArrayList<RESTStyle>();
 
         RESTStyle style = reader.getStyle(stylename);
         if(style != null)
-            return style;
+            styles.add(style);
 
         for (String workspace : reader.getWorkspaceNames()) {
             style = reader.getStyle(workspace, stylename);
             if(style != null)
-                return style;
+                styles.add(style);
         }
 
-        return null;
+        return styles;
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/test/java/it/geosolutions/geoserver/rest/UtilTest.java b/src/test/java/it/geosolutions/geoserver/rest/UtilTest.java
index d5e6497..06eb10e 100644
--- a/src/test/java/it/geosolutions/geoserver/rest/UtilTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/it/geosolutions/geoserver/rest/UtilTest.java
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import it.geosolutions.geoserver.rest.decoder.RESTStyle;
 
 import java.io.File;
 import java.io.IOException;
+import java.util.List;
 import org.junit.Test;
 import static org.junit.Assert.*;
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
@@ -54,15 +55,14 @@ public class UtilTest extends GeoserverRESTTest {
 
         final String WORKSPACE = "testWorkspace";
 		final String STYLENAME = "restteststyle";
-		final String STYLENAME2 = "restteststyle2";
+
 		File sldFile = new ClassPathResource("testdata/restteststyle.sld").getFile();
 
         publisher.createWorkspace(WORKSPACE);
 
 		assertEquals(0, reader.getStyles().size());
 		assertEquals(0, reader.getStyles(WORKSPACE).size());
-        assertNull(Util.searchStyle(reader, STYLENAME));
-        assertNull(Util.searchStyle(reader, STYLENAME2));
+        assertEquals(0, Util.searchStyles(reader, STYLENAME).size());
 
 		// insert style in workspace
 		assertTrue(publisher.publishStyleInWorkspace(WORKSPACE, sldFile, STYLENAME));
@@ -70,29 +70,26 @@ public class UtilTest extends GeoserverRESTTest {
 		assertFalse(reader.existsStyle(STYLENAME));
 		assertEquals(0, reader.getStyles().size());
 		assertEquals(1, reader.getStyles(WORKSPACE).size());
-        assertNotNull(Util.searchStyle(reader, STYLENAME));
-        assertNull(Util.searchStyle(reader, STYLENAME2));
+        assertEquals(1, Util.searchStyles(reader, STYLENAME).size());
 
         // insert global style
-		assertTrue(publisher.publishStyle(sldFile, STYLENAME2));
-
-        assertFalse(reader.existsStyle(STYLENAME));
-		assertTrue(reader.existsStyle(STYLENAME2));
+		assertTrue(publisher.publishStyle(sldFile, STYLENAME));
 
+        assertTrue(reader.existsStyle(STYLENAME));
         assertTrue(reader.existsStyle(WORKSPACE, STYLENAME));
-		assertFalse(reader.existsStyle(WORKSPACE, STYLENAME2));
+
+        assertEquals(2, Util.searchStyles(reader, STYLENAME).size());
 
 		assertEquals(1, reader.getStyles().size());
 		assertEquals(1, reader.getStyles(WORKSPACE).size());
 
-        RESTStyle style;
-        style = Util.searchStyle(reader, STYLENAME);
-        assertEquals(STYLENAME, style.getName());
-        assertEquals(WORKSPACE, style.getWorkspace());
+        List<RESTStyle> styles = Util.searchStyles(reader, STYLENAME);
 
-        style = Util.searchStyle(reader, STYLENAME2);
-        assertEquals(STYLENAME2, style.getName());
-        assertEquals(null, style.getWorkspace());
+        assertEquals(STYLENAME, styles.get(0).getName());
+        assertEquals(null, styles.get(0).getWorkspace());  // first one is the global one, if any
+
+        assertEquals(STYLENAME, styles.get(1).getName());
+        assertEquals(WORKSPACE, styles.get(1).getWorkspace());
 	}
 
 }