diff --git a/python/lsst/daf/butler/_butler_collections.py b/python/lsst/daf/butler/_butler_collections.py
index 71045f2937..8a3d2e2d63 100644
--- a/python/lsst/daf/butler/_butler_collections.py
+++ b/python/lsst/daf/butler/_butler_collections.py
@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ def x_remove(self, name: str) -> None:
         ------
         lsst.daf.butler.registry.MissingCollectionError
             Raised if no collection with the given name exists.
-        sqlalchemy.exc.IntegrityError
+        lsst.daf.butler.registry.OrphanedRecordError
             Raised if the database rows associated with the collection are
             still referenced by some other table, such as a dataset in a
             datastore (for `~CollectionType.RUN` collections only) or a
diff --git a/python/lsst/daf/butler/direct_butler/_direct_butler_collections.py b/python/lsst/daf/butler/direct_butler/_direct_butler_collections.py
index baa1c92176..8a4b7c70e8 100644
--- a/python/lsst/daf/butler/direct_butler/_direct_butler_collections.py
+++ b/python/lsst/daf/butler/direct_butler/_direct_butler_collections.py
@@ -31,10 +31,12 @@
 
 from collections.abc import Iterable, Sequence, Set
 
+import sqlalchemy
 from lsst.utils.iteration import ensure_iterable
 
 from .._butler_collections import ButlerCollections, CollectionInfo
 from .._collection_type import CollectionType
+from ..registry._exceptions import OrphanedRecordError
 from ..registry.interfaces import ChainedCollectionRecord
 from ..registry.sql_registry import SqlRegistry
 
@@ -151,4 +153,7 @@ def register(self, name: str, type: CollectionType = CollectionType.RUN, doc: st
         return self._registry.registerCollection(name, type, doc)
 
     def x_remove(self, name: str) -> None:
-        self._registry.removeCollection(name)
+        try:
+            self._registry.removeCollection(name)
+        except sqlalchemy.exc.IntegrityError as e:
+            raise OrphanedRecordError(f"Datasets in run {name} are still referenced elsewhere.") from e