diff --git a/packages/plugin-search/src/types.ts b/packages/plugin-search/src/types.ts
index 9d5ec0b4be..48bdf0749e 100644
--- a/packages/plugin-search/src/types.ts
+++ b/packages/plugin-search/src/types.ts
@@ -42,10 +42,25 @@ export type SearchPluginConfig = {
   defaultPriorities?: {
     [collection: string]: ((doc: any) => number | Promise<number>) | number
   }
+  /**
+   * Controls whether drafts are deleted from the search index
+   *
+   * @default true
+   */
   deleteDrafts?: boolean
   localize?: boolean
+  /**
+   * We use batching when re-indexing large collections. You can control the amount of items per batch, lower numbers should help with memory.
+   *
+   * @default 50
+   */
   reindexBatchSize?: number
   searchOverrides?: { fields?: FieldsOverride } & Partial<Omit<CollectionConfig, 'fields'>>
+  /**
+   * Controls whether drafts are synced to the search index
+   *
+   * @default false
+   */
   syncDrafts?: boolean
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/plugin-search/src/utilities/syncDocAsSearchIndex.ts b/packages/plugin-search/src/utilities/syncDocAsSearchIndex.ts
index b567c0f26e..199a6c3b16 100644
--- a/packages/plugin-search/src/utilities/syncDocAsSearchIndex.ts
+++ b/packages/plugin-search/src/utilities/syncDocAsSearchIndex.ts
@@ -142,15 +142,42 @@ export const syncDocAsSearchIndex = async ({
             }
           }
           if (deleteDrafts && status === 'draft') {
-            // do not include draft docs in search results, so delete the record
-            try {
-              await payload.delete({
-                id: searchDocID,
-                collection: searchSlug,
-                req,
-              })
-            } catch (err: unknown) {
-              payload.logger.error({ err, msg: `Error deleting ${searchSlug} document.` })
+            // Check to see if there's a published version of the doc
+            // We don't want to remove the search doc if there is a published version but a new draft has been created
+            const {
+              docs: [docWithPublish],
+            } = await payload.find({
+              collection,
+              draft: false,
+              locale: syncLocale,
+              req,
+              where: {
+                and: [
+                  {
+                    _status: {
+                      equals: 'published',
+                    },
+                  },
+                  {
+                    id: {
+                      equals: id,
+                    },
+                  },
+                ],
+              },
+            })
+
+            if (!docWithPublish) {
+              // do not include draft docs in search results, so delete the record
+              try {
+                await payload.delete({
+                  id: searchDocID,
+                  collection: searchSlug,
+                  req,
+                })
+              } catch (err: unknown) {
+                payload.logger.error({ err, msg: `Error deleting ${searchSlug} document.` })
+              }
             }
           }
         } else if (doSync) {
diff --git a/test/plugin-search/config.ts b/test/plugin-search/config.ts
index 8d2f95cc4d..b77a214ec3 100644
--- a/test/plugin-search/config.ts
+++ b/test/plugin-search/config.ts
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ export default buildConfigWithDefaults({
       searchOverrides: {
         access: {
           // Used for int test
-          delete: ({ req: { user } }) => user.email === devUser.email,
+          delete: ({ req: { user } }) => user?.email === devUser.email,
         },
         fields: ({ defaultFields }) => [
           ...defaultFields,
diff --git a/test/plugin-search/int.spec.ts b/test/plugin-search/int.spec.ts
index db75950652..faaa3bdb3d 100644
--- a/test/plugin-search/int.spec.ts
+++ b/test/plugin-search/int.spec.ts
@@ -133,6 +133,78 @@ describe('@payloadcms/plugin-search', () => {
     expect(results).toHaveLength(0)
   })
 
+  it('should not delete a search doc if a published item has a new draft but remains published', async () => {
+    const publishedPage = await payload.create({
+      collection: 'pages',
+      data: {
+        _status: 'published',
+        title: 'Published title!',
+      },
+    })
+
+    // wait for the search document to be potentially created
+    // we do not await this within the `syncToSearch` hook
+    await wait(200)
+
+    const { docs: results } = await payload.find({
+      collection: 'search',
+      depth: 0,
+      where: {
+        'doc.value': {
+          equals: publishedPage.id,
+        },
+      },
+    })
+
+    expect(results).toHaveLength(1)
+
+    // Create a new draft
+    await payload.update({
+      collection: 'pages',
+      id: publishedPage.id,
+      draft: true,
+      data: {
+        _status: 'draft',
+        title: 'Draft title!',
+      },
+    })
+
+    // This should remain with the published content
+    const { docs: updatedResults } = await payload.find({
+      collection: 'search',
+      depth: 0,
+      where: {
+        'doc.value': {
+          equals: publishedPage.id,
+        },
+      },
+    })
+
+    expect(updatedResults).toHaveLength(1)
+
+    await payload.update({
+      collection: 'pages',
+      id: publishedPage.id,
+      data: {
+        _status: 'draft',
+        title: 'Drafted again',
+      },
+    })
+
+    // Should now be deleted given we've unpublished the page
+    const { docs: deletedResults } = await payload.find({
+      collection: 'search',
+      depth: 0,
+      where: {
+        'doc.value': {
+          equals: publishedPage.id,
+        },
+      },
+    })
+
+    expect(deletedResults).toHaveLength(0)
+  })
+
   it('should sync changes made to an existing search document', async () => {
     const pageToReceiveUpdates = await payload.create({
       collection: 'pages',