diff --git a/addons/product/i18n/product.pot b/addons/product/i18n/product.pot
index c8c6136fcd8..6ca59acee1c 100644
--- a/addons/product/i18n/product.pot
+++ b/addons/product/i18n/product.pot
@@ -2815,17 +2815,18 @@ msgstr ""
 #: code:addons/product/models/product_attribute.py:0
 #, python-format
 msgid ""
-"You cannot delete the attribute %s because it is used on the following products:\n"
-"%s"
+"You cannot delete the attribute %(attribute)s because it is used on the following products:\n"
+"%(products)s"
 msgstr ""
 
 #. module: product
 #. odoo-python
-#: code:addons/product/models/product_attribute.py:0
+#: code:addons/product/models/product_attribute_value.py:0
 #, python-format
 msgid ""
-"You cannot delete the value %s because it is used on the following products:\n"
-"%s"
+"You cannot delete the value %(value)s because it is used on the following products:\n"
+"%(products)s\n"
+" If the value has been associated to a product in the past, you will not be able to delete it."
 msgstr ""
 
 #. module: product
@@ -2847,6 +2848,13 @@ msgid ""
 "%s"
 msgstr ""
 
+#. module: product
+#. odoo-python
+#: code:addons/product/models/product_attribute.py:0
+#, python-format
+msgid "You cannot delete value %s because it was used in some products."
+msgstr ""
+
 #. module: product
 #. odoo-python
 #: code:addons/product/models/product_attribute.py:0
diff --git a/addons/product/models/product_attribute_value.py b/addons/product/models/product_attribute_value.py
index e0b41f7ea97..b0a050a7ce9 100644
--- a/addons/product/models/product_attribute_value.py
+++ b/addons/product/models/product_attribute_value.py
@@ -93,10 +93,21 @@ class ProductAttributeValue(models.Model):
         for pav in self:
             if pav.is_used_on_products:
                 raise UserError(_(
-                    "You cannot delete the value %(value)s because it is used on the following products:\n%(products)s",
+                    "You cannot delete the value %(value)s because it is used on the following "
+                    "products:\n%(products)s\n If the value has been associated to a product in the"
+                    " past, you will not be able to delete it.",
                     value=pav.display_name,
                     products=", ".join(pav.pav_attribute_line_ids.product_tmpl_id.mapped('display_name')),
                 ))
+            linked_products = pav.env['product.template.attribute.value'].search(
+                [('product_attribute_value_id', '=', pav.id)]
+            ).with_context(active_test=False).ptav_product_variant_ids
+            unlinkable_products = linked_products._filter_to_unlink()
+            if linked_products != unlinkable_products:
+                raise UserError(_(
+                    "You cannot delete value %s because it was used in some products.",
+                    pav.display_name
+                ))
 
     def _without_no_variant_attributes(self):
         return self.filtered(lambda pav: pav.attribute_id.create_variant != 'no_variant')