diff --git a/pkgs/plt-services/meta/pkg-index/official/main.rkt b/pkgs/plt-services/meta/pkg-index/official/main.rkt
index be089de278..305d23bf92 100644
--- a/pkgs/plt-services/meta/pkg-index/official/main.rkt
+++ b/pkgs/plt-services/meta/pkg-index/official/main.rkt
@@ -620,8 +620,8 @@
 
   (define (delete! pkg-req)
     (when (and (package-exists? pkg)
-               (not (member (package-ref (package-info pkg) 'author)
-                            (current-user pkg-req #t))))
+               (not (member (current-user pkg-req #t)
+                            (author->list (package-ref (package-info pkg) 'author)))))
       (error 'pnr
              "Packages may only be modified by their authors: ~e"
              pkg))