diff --git a/mercurial/commands.py b/mercurial/commands.py
--- a/mercurial/commands.py
+++ b/mercurial/commands.py
@@ -917,6 +917,9 @@ def bookmark(ui, repo, *names, **opts):
     diverged, a new 'divergent bookmark' of the form 'name@path' will
     be created. Using :hg:`merge` will resolve the divergence.
 
+    Specifying bookmark as '.' to -m or -d options is equivalent to specifying
+    the active bookmark's name.
+
     A bookmark named '@' has the special property that :hg:`clone` will
     check it out by default if it exists.
 
@@ -962,6 +965,7 @@ def bookmark(ui, repo, *names, **opts):
     if delete or rename or names or inactive:
         with repo.wlock(), repo.lock(), repo.transaction('bookmark') as tr:
             if delete:
+                names = pycompat.maplist(repo._bookmarks.expandname, names)
                 bookmarks.delete(repo, tr, names)
             elif rename:
                 if not names:
diff --git a/tests/test-bookmarks.t b/tests/test-bookmarks.t
--- a/tests/test-bookmarks.t
+++ b/tests/test-bookmarks.t
@@ -213,6 +213,26 @@ rename bookmark using . with no active b
   $ hg up -q Y
   $ hg book -d rename-me
 
+delete bookmark using .
+
+  $ hg book delete-me
+  $ hg book -d .
+  $ hg bookmark
+     X2                        1:925d80f479bb
+     Y                         2:db815d6d32e6
+     Z                         0:f7b1eb17ad24
+  $ hg up -q Y
+
+delete bookmark using . with no active bookmark
+
+  $ hg book delete-me
+  $ hg book -i delete-me
+  $ hg book -d .
+  abort: no active bookmark
+  [255]
+  $ hg up -q Y
+  $ hg book -d delete-me
+
 list bookmarks
 
   $ hg bookmark