diff --git a/packages/payload/src/collections/operations/delete.ts b/packages/payload/src/collections/operations/delete.ts
index a08e6c15f48..98adf67cedc 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/collections/operations/delete.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/collections/operations/delete.ts
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ export const deleteOperation = async <
 
     const errors: BulkOperationResult<TSlug, TSelect>['errors'] = []
 
-    const promises = docs.map(async (doc) => {
+    const processDoc = async (doc: (typeof docs)[number]) => {
       let result
 
       const { id } = doc
@@ -307,18 +307,17 @@ export const deleteOperation = async <
         })
       }
       return null
-    })
+    }
 
-    // Process sequentially when using single transaction mode to avoid shared state issues
-    // Process in parallel when using one transaction for better performance
-    let awaitedDocs
-    if (req.payload.db.bulkOperationsSingleTransaction) {
-      awaitedDocs = []
-      for (const promise of promises) {
-        awaitedDocs.push(await promise)
-      }
-    } else {
-      awaitedDocs = await Promise.all(promises)
+    // Process documents sequentially to prevent concurrent deleteOne calls
+    // from interleaving queries on a shared transaction connection.
+    // Using .map(async ...) would eagerly start all callbacks, causing
+    // silent data loss even with for...of await (which only controls the
+    // order results are collected, not execution order).
+    // See: https://github.com/payloadcms/payload/issues/16075
+    const awaitedDocs = []
+    for (const doc of docs) {
+      awaitedDocs.push(await processDoc(doc))
     }
 
     // /////////////////////////////////////