diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/layout.js b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/layout.js
index 4c6c7755ef..2887c6984a 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/layout.js
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/layout.js
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
-const { EMPTY_LAYOUT } = require("../../constants/layouts")
+const {
+  EMPTY_LAYOUT,
+  BASE_LAYOUT_PROP_IDS,
+} = require("../../constants/layouts")
 const CouchDB = require("../../db")
 const { generateLayoutID, getScreenParams } = require("../../db/utils")
 
@@ -26,15 +29,19 @@ exports.destroy = async function (ctx) {
   const layoutId = ctx.params.layoutId,
     layoutRev = ctx.params.layoutRev
 
-  const layoutsUsedByScreens = (
-    await db.allDocs(
-      getScreenParams(null, {
-        include_docs: true,
-      })
-    )
-  ).rows.map(element => element.doc.layoutId)
-  if (layoutsUsedByScreens.includes(layoutId)) {
-    ctx.throw(400, "Cannot delete a layout that's being used by a screen")
+  if (Object.values(BASE_LAYOUT_PROP_IDS).includes(layoutId)) {
+    ctx.throw(400, "Cannot delete a built-in layout")
+  } else {
+    const layoutsUsedByScreens = (
+      await db.allDocs(
+        getScreenParams(null, {
+          include_docs: true,
+        })
+      )
+    ).rows.map(element => element.doc.layoutId)
+    if (layoutsUsedByScreens.includes(layoutId)) {
+      ctx.throw(400, "Cannot delete a layout that's being used by a screen")
+    }
   }
 
   await db.remove(layoutId, layoutRev)