diff --git a/moto/dynamodb2/parsing/executors.py b/moto/dynamodb2/parsing/executors.py
index 76642542..538e26cb 100644
--- a/moto/dynamodb2/parsing/executors.py
+++ b/moto/dynamodb2/parsing/executors.py
@@ -165,8 +165,18 @@ class DeleteExecutor(NodeExecutor):
         # the last item in the set, we have to remove the attribute.
         if not string_set_list:
             element = self.get_element_to_action()
+            if isinstance(element, ExpressionAttributeName):
+                attribute_name = self.expression_attribute_names[
+                    element.get_attribute_name_placeholder()
+                ]
+            elif isinstance(element, ExpressionAttribute):
+                attribute_name = element.get_attribute_name()
+            else:
+                raise NotImplementedError(
+                    "Moto does not support deleting {t} yet".format(t=type(element))
+                )
             container = self.get_item_before_end_of_path(item)
-            container.pop(element.get_attribute_name())
+            del container[attribute_name]
 
 
 class RemoveExecutor(NodeExecutor):
diff --git a/tests/test_dynamodb2/test_dynamodb.py b/tests/test_dynamodb2/test_dynamodb.py
index 446d0238..352f542b 100644
--- a/tests/test_dynamodb2/test_dynamodb.py
+++ b/tests/test_dynamodb2/test_dynamodb.py
@@ -5598,8 +5598,14 @@ def test_lsi_projection_type_keys_only():
 
 
 @mock_dynamodb2
-def test_set_attribute_is_dropped_if_empty_after_update_expression():
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "attr_name",
+    ["orders", "#placeholder"],
+    ids=["use attribute name", "use expression attribute name"],
+)
+def test_set_attribute_is_dropped_if_empty_after_update_expression(attr_name):
     table_name, item_key, set_item = "test-table", "test-id", "test-data"
+    expression_attribute_names = {"#placeholder": "orders"}
     client = boto3.client("dynamodb", region_name="us-east-1")
     client.create_table(
         TableName=table_name,
@@ -5611,7 +5617,8 @@ def test_set_attribute_is_dropped_if_empty_after_update_expression():
     client.update_item(
         TableName=table_name,
         Key={"customer": {"S": item_key}},
-        UpdateExpression="ADD orders :order",
+        UpdateExpression="ADD {} :order".format(attr_name),
+        ExpressionAttributeNames=expression_attribute_names,
         ExpressionAttributeValues={":order": {"SS": [set_item]}},
     )
     resp = client.scan(TableName=table_name, ProjectionExpression="customer, orders")
@@ -5622,7 +5629,8 @@ def test_set_attribute_is_dropped_if_empty_after_update_expression():
     client.update_item(
         TableName=table_name,
         Key={"customer": {"S": item_key}},
-        UpdateExpression="DELETE orders :order",
+        UpdateExpression="DELETE {} :order".format(attr_name),
+        ExpressionAttributeNames=expression_attribute_names,
         ExpressionAttributeValues={":order": {"SS": [set_item]}},
     )
     resp = client.scan(TableName=table_name, ProjectionExpression="customer, orders")
diff --git a/tests/test_dynamodb2/test_dynamodb_executor.py b/tests/test_dynamodb2/test_dynamodb_executor.py
index 577a5bae..57cd9b5c 100644
--- a/tests/test_dynamodb2/test_dynamodb_executor.py
+++ b/tests/test_dynamodb2/test_dynamodb_executor.py
@@ -282,24 +282,26 @@ def test_execution_of_remove_in_list(table):
     assert expected_item == item
 
 
-def test_execution_of_delete_element_from_set(table):
-    update_expression = "delete s :value"
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("attr_name", ["s", "#placeholder"])
+def test_execution_of_delete_element_from_set(table, attr_name):
+    expression_attribute_names = {"#placeholder": "s"}
+    update_expression = "delete {} :value".format(attr_name)
     update_expression_ast = UpdateExpressionParser.make(update_expression)
     item = Item(
         hash_key=DynamoType({"S": "id"}),
         hash_key_type="TYPE",
         range_key=None,
         range_key_type=None,
-        attrs={"id": {"S": "foo2"}, "s": {"SS": ["value1", "value2", "value3"]},},
+        attrs={"id": {"S": "foo2"}, "s": {"SS": ["value1", "value2", "value3"]}},
     )
     validated_ast = UpdateExpressionValidator(
         update_expression_ast,
-        expression_attribute_names=None,
+        expression_attribute_names=expression_attribute_names,
         expression_attribute_values={":value": {"SS": ["value2", "value5"]}},
         item=item,
         table=table,
     ).validate()
-    UpdateExpressionExecutor(validated_ast, item, None).execute()
+    UpdateExpressionExecutor(validated_ast, item, expression_attribute_names).execute()
     expected_item = Item(
         hash_key=DynamoType({"S": "id"}),
         hash_key_type="TYPE",
@@ -309,6 +311,26 @@ def test_execution_of_delete_element_from_set(table):
     )
     assert expected_item == item
 
+    # delete last elements
+    update_expression = "delete {} :value".format(attr_name)
+    update_expression_ast = UpdateExpressionParser.make(update_expression)
+    validated_ast = UpdateExpressionValidator(
+        update_expression_ast,
+        expression_attribute_names=expression_attribute_names,
+        expression_attribute_values={":value": {"SS": ["value1", "value3"]}},
+        item=item,
+        table=table,
+    ).validate()
+    UpdateExpressionExecutor(validated_ast, item, expression_attribute_names).execute()
+    expected_item = Item(
+        hash_key=DynamoType({"S": "id"}),
+        hash_key_type="TYPE",
+        range_key=None,
+        range_key_type=None,
+        attrs={"id": {"S": "foo2"}},
+    )
+    assert expected_item == item
+
 
 def test_execution_of_add_number(table):
     update_expression = "add s :value"