diff --git a/src/calibre/db/backend.py b/src/calibre/db/backend.py
index f8235d5b85..9ba5a3e348 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/backend.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/backend.py
@@ -949,9 +949,12 @@ class DB:
         from .notes.connect import Notes
         self.notes = Notes(self)
 
-    def delete_category_items(self, field_name, table_name, item_map, link_table_name='', link_col_name=''):
+    def clear_notes_for_category_items(self, field_name, item_map):
         for item_id, item_val in item_map.items():
             self.notes.set_note(self.conn, field_name, item_id, item_val or '')
+
+    def delete_category_items(self, field_name, table_name, item_map, link_table_name='', link_col_name=''):
+        self.clear_notes_for_category_items(field_name, item_map)
         bindings = tuple((x,) for x in item_map)
         if link_table_name and link_col_name:
             self.executemany(f'DELETE FROM {link_table_name} WHERE {link_col_name}=?', bindings)
diff --git a/src/calibre/db/tests/notes.py b/src/calibre/db/tests/notes.py
index 6c785ae59d..0b9e3c60fa 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/tests/notes.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/tests/notes.py
@@ -58,13 +58,37 @@ def test_notes_api(self: 'NotesTest'):
 
 def test_cache_api(self):
     cache, notes = self.create_notes_db()
+    authors = cache.field_for('authors', 1)
+    author_id = cache.get_item_id('authors', authors[0])
+    doc = 'simple notes for an author'
+    h1 = cache.add_notes_resource(b'resource1', 'r1.jpg')
+    h2 = cache.add_notes_resource(b'resource2', 'r1.jpg')
+    cache.set_notes_for('authors', author_id, doc, resource_ids=(h1, h2))
+    # test renaming to a new author preserves notes
+    cache.rename_items('authors', {author_id: 'renamed author'})
+    raid = cache.get_item_id('authors', 'renamed author')
+    self.ae(cache.notes_resources_used_by('authors', raid), frozenset({h1, h2}))
+    self.ae(cache.get_notes_resource(h1)['data'], b'resource1')
+    self.ae(cache.get_notes_resource(h2)['data'], b'resource2')
+    # test renaming to an existing author preserves notes
+    cache.rename_items('authors', {raid: 'Author One'})
+    raid = cache.get_item_id('authors', 'Author One')
+    self.ae(cache.notes_resources_used_by('authors', raid), frozenset({h1, h2}))
+    self.ae(cache.get_notes_resource(h1)['data'], b'resource1')
+    self.ae(cache.get_notes_resource(h2)['data'], b'resource2')
+    # test removing author from db retires notes
+    cache.set_field('authors', {bid:('New Author',) for bid in cache.all_book_ids()})
+    self.ae(len(cache.all_field_ids('authors')), 1)
+    before = os.listdir(notes.retired_dir)
+    self.ae(len(before), 1)
+
 
 class NotesTest(BaseTest):
 
     ae = BaseTest.assertEqual
 
     def create_notes_db(self):
-        cache = self.init_cache()
+        cache = self.init_cache(self.cloned_library)
         cache.backend.notes.max_retired_items = 1
         return cache, cache.backend.notes
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/db/write.py b/src/calibre/db/write.py
index 48ebd1fd03..27bf6879fc 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/write.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/write.py
@@ -378,9 +378,9 @@ def many_one(book_id_val_map, db, field, allow_case_change, *args):
                     iteritems(updated)))
 
     # Remove no longer used items
-    remove = {item_id for item_id in table.id_map if not
-              table.col_book_map.get(item_id, False)}
+    remove = {item_id:item_val for item_id, item_val in table.id_map.items() if not table.col_book_map.get(item_id, False)}
     if remove:
+        db.clear_notes_for_category_items(table.name, remove)
         db.executemany('DELETE FROM %s WHERE id=?'%m['table'],
             ((item_id,) for item_id in remove))
         for item_id in remove:
@@ -482,9 +482,9 @@ def many_many(book_id_val_map, db, field, allow_case_change, *args):
             field.author_sort_field.writer.set_books(aus_map, db)
 
     # Remove no longer used items
-    remove = {item_id for item_id in table.id_map if not
-              table.col_book_map.get(item_id, False)}
+    remove = {item_id:item_val for item_id, item_val in table.id_map.items() if not table.col_book_map.get(item_id, False)}
     if remove:
+        db.clear_notes_for_category_items(table.name, remove)
         db.executemany('DELETE FROM %s WHERE id=?'%m['table'],
             ((item_id,) for item_id in remove))
         for item_id in remove:
@@ -494,7 +494,6 @@ def many_many(book_id_val_map, db, field, allow_case_change, *args):
                 table.asort_map.pop(item_id, None)
             if hasattr(table, 'link_map'):
                 table.link_map.pop(item_id, None)
-
     return dirtied
 
 # }}}