diff --git a/_emulator/extensions/delete-user-data.env.local b/_emulator/extensions/delete-user-data.env.local
index c56b0354bb..67801e550e 100644
--- a/_emulator/extensions/delete-user-data.env.local
+++ b/_emulator/extensions/delete-user-data.env.local
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 LOCATION=europe-west2
 FIRESTORE_QUERY_COLLECTION=queries
-ENABLE_AUTO_DISCOVERY=true
-AUTO_DISCOVERY_SEARCH_FIELDS=field1,field2
+ENABLE_AUTO_DISCOVERY=yes
+AUTO_DISCOVERY_SEARCH_FIELDS=field1,field2,scope.owner.id
 SEARCH_FUNCTION=http://127.0.0.1:5001/demo-test/us-central1/findDocumentReferences
 AUTO_DISCOVERY_TOPIC=discovery
 AUTO_DISCOVERY_SEARCH_DEPTH=4
diff --git a/delete-user-data/functions/__tests__/search.test.ts b/delete-user-data/functions/__tests__/search.test.ts
index 161dd8167a..9142175f6b 100644
--- a/delete-user-data/functions/__tests__/search.test.ts
+++ b/delete-user-data/functions/__tests__/search.test.ts
@@ -67,6 +67,27 @@ describe("discovery", () => {
       await waitForDocumentDeletion(document, 60000);
     }, 60000);
 
+    test("can delete a document with a nested field value matching {uid}", async () => {
+      const document = await db
+        .collection(generateRandomId())
+        .add({ scope: { owner: { id: user.uid } } });
+      await search(user.uid, 1, db);
+
+      await waitForDocumentDeletion(document, 60000);
+    }, 60000);
+
+    test("cannot delete a document with a nested field value that does not match {uid}", async () => {
+      const document = await db
+        .collection(generateRandomId())
+        .add({ scope: { owner: { id: "not-the-uid" } } });
+      await search(user.uid, 1, db);
+
+      await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 10000));
+
+      const checkExists = await document.get().then((doc) => doc.exists);
+      expect(checkExists).toBe(true);
+    }, 60000);
+
     test("can check a document without any field values", async () => {
       await db.collection(generateRandomId()).add({});
       await search(user.uid, 1, db);
diff --git a/delete-user-data/functions/src/helpers.ts b/delete-user-data/functions/src/helpers.ts
index e5f64eb115..a47df725c1 100644
--- a/delete-user-data/functions/src/helpers.ts
+++ b/delete-user-data/functions/src/helpers.ts
@@ -14,9 +14,18 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-import { DocumentReference, FieldPath } from "firebase-admin/firestore";
+import {
+  DocumentReference,
+  DocumentSnapshot,
+  FieldPath,
+} from "firebase-admin/firestore";
 import config from "./config";
 
+export const getNestedFieldValue = (
+  snapshot: DocumentSnapshot,
+  field: string
+) => snapshot.get(new FieldPath(...field.trim().split(".")));
+
 export const getDatabaseUrl = (
   selectedDatabaseInstance: string | undefined,
   selectedDatabaseLocation: string | undefined
@@ -42,7 +51,7 @@ export const hasValidUserPath = async (
 
   if (snapshot.exists) {
     for (const field of config.searchFields.split(",")) {
-      const fieldValue = snapshot.get(new FieldPath(field));
+      const fieldValue = getNestedFieldValue(snapshot, field);
 
       /** Return if a matching string includes the id */
       if (typeof fieldValue === "string" && fieldValue.includes(uid)) {
diff --git a/delete-user-data/functions/src/index.ts b/delete-user-data/functions/src/index.ts
index 5d1f9c985d..f81f3beb45 100644
--- a/delete-user-data/functions/src/index.ts
+++ b/delete-user-data/functions/src/index.ts
@@ -15,13 +15,13 @@
  */
 
 import * as admin from "firebase-admin";
-import {
-  FieldPath,
-  DocumentReference,
-  getFirestore,
-} from "firebase-admin/firestore";
+import { DocumentReference, getFirestore } from "firebase-admin/firestore";
 import * as functions from "firebase-functions";
-import { getDatabaseUrl, hasValidUserPath } from "./helpers";
+import {
+  getDatabaseUrl,
+  getNestedFieldValue,
+  hasValidUserPath,
+} from "./helpers";
 import chunk from "lodash.chunk";
 import { getEventarc } from "firebase-admin/eventarc";
 
@@ -177,7 +177,10 @@ export const handleSearch = functions.pubsub
         for (const snapshot of snapshots) {
           if (snapshot.exists) {
             for (const field of config.searchFields.split(",")) {
-              if (snapshot.get(new FieldPath(field)) === uid) {
+              if (
+                field.trim() &&
+                getNestedFieldValue(snapshot, field) === uid
+              ) {
                 pathsToDelete.push(snapshot.ref.path);
                 continue;
               }