diff --git a/packages/angular_devkit/build_angular/src/builders/application/build-action.ts b/packages/angular_devkit/build_angular/src/builders/application/build-action.ts
index fb0ed18a8dbf..21037c2be33c 100644
--- a/packages/angular_devkit/build_angular/src/builders/application/build-action.ts
+++ b/packages/angular_devkit/build_angular/src/builders/application/build-action.ts
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ export async function* runEsBuildBuildAction(
   } = options;
 
   if (deleteOutputPath && writeToFileSystem) {
-    await deleteOutputDir(workspaceRoot, outputPath);
+    await deleteOutputDir(workspaceRoot, outputPath, ['browser', 'server']);
   }
 
   const withProgress: typeof withSpinner = progress ? withSpinner : withNoProgress;
diff --git a/packages/angular_devkit/build_angular/src/builders/application/tests/options/delete-output-path_spec.ts b/packages/angular_devkit/build_angular/src/builders/application/tests/options/delete-output-path_spec.ts
index a5f0b18a051c..1a7a11b3d4e0 100644
--- a/packages/angular_devkit/build_angular/src/builders/application/tests/options/delete-output-path_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/angular_devkit/build_angular/src/builders/application/tests/options/delete-output-path_spec.ts
@@ -15,8 +15,9 @@ describeBuilder(buildApplication, APPLICATION_BUILDER_INFO, (harness) => {
       // Application code is not needed for asset tests
       await harness.writeFile('src/main.ts', 'console.log("TEST");');
 
-      // Add file in output
-      await harness.writeFile('dist/dummy.txt', '');
+      // Add files in output
+      await harness.writeFile('dist/a.txt', 'A');
+      await harness.writeFile('dist/browser/b.txt', 'B');
     });
 
     it(`should delete the output files when 'deleteOutputPath' is true`, async () => {
@@ -27,7 +28,10 @@ describeBuilder(buildApplication, APPLICATION_BUILDER_INFO, (harness) => {
 
       const { result } = await harness.executeOnce();
       expect(result?.success).toBeTrue();
-      harness.expectFile('dist/dummy.txt').toNotExist();
+      harness.expectDirectory('dist').toExist();
+      harness.expectFile('dist/a.txt').toNotExist();
+      harness.expectDirectory('dist/browser').toExist();
+      harness.expectFile('dist/browser/b.txt').toNotExist();
     });
 
     it(`should delete the output files when 'deleteOutputPath' is not set`, async () => {
@@ -38,7 +42,10 @@ describeBuilder(buildApplication, APPLICATION_BUILDER_INFO, (harness) => {
 
       const { result } = await harness.executeOnce();
       expect(result?.success).toBeTrue();
-      harness.expectFile('dist/dummy.txt').toNotExist();
+      harness.expectDirectory('dist').toExist();
+      harness.expectFile('dist/a.txt').toNotExist();
+      harness.expectDirectory('dist/browser').toExist();
+      harness.expectFile('dist/browser/b.txt').toNotExist();
     });
 
     it(`should not delete the output files when 'deleteOutputPath' is false`, async () => {
@@ -49,7 +56,23 @@ describeBuilder(buildApplication, APPLICATION_BUILDER_INFO, (harness) => {
 
       const { result } = await harness.executeOnce();
       expect(result?.success).toBeTrue();
-      harness.expectFile('dist/dummy.txt').toExist();
+      harness.expectFile('dist/a.txt').toExist();
+      harness.expectFile('dist/browser/b.txt').toExist();
+    });
+
+    it(`should not delete empty only directories when 'deleteOutputPath' is true`, async () => {
+      harness.useTarget('build', {
+        ...BASE_OPTIONS,
+        deleteOutputPath: true,
+      });
+
+      // Add an error to prevent the build from writing files
+      await harness.writeFile('src/main.ts', 'INVALID_CODE');
+
+      const { result } = await harness.executeOnce({ outputLogsOnFailure: false });
+      expect(result?.success).toBeFalse();
+      harness.expectDirectory('dist').toExist();
+      harness.expectDirectory('dist/browser').toExist();
     });
   });
 });
diff --git a/packages/angular_devkit/build_angular/src/utils/delete-output-dir.ts b/packages/angular_devkit/build_angular/src/utils/delete-output-dir.ts
index 20e8b2c14b1a..9ca6bc091d18 100644
--- a/packages/angular_devkit/build_angular/src/utils/delete-output-dir.ts
+++ b/packages/angular_devkit/build_angular/src/utils/delete-output-dir.ts
@@ -12,12 +12,20 @@ import { join, resolve } from 'node:path';
 /**
  * Delete an output directory, but error out if it's the root of the project.
  */
-export async function deleteOutputDir(root: string, outputPath: string): Promise<void> {
+export async function deleteOutputDir(
+  root: string,
+  outputPath: string,
+  emptyOnlyDirectories?: string[],
+): Promise<void> {
   const resolvedOutputPath = resolve(root, outputPath);
   if (resolvedOutputPath === root) {
     throw new Error('Output path MUST not be project root directory!');
   }
 
+  const directoriesToEmpty = emptyOnlyDirectories
+    ? new Set(emptyOnlyDirectories.map((directory) => join(resolvedOutputPath, directory)))
+    : undefined;
+
   // Avoid removing the actual directory to avoid errors in cases where the output
   // directory is mounted or symlinked. Instead the contents are removed.
   let entries;
@@ -31,6 +39,14 @@ export async function deleteOutputDir(root: string, outputPath: string): Promise
   }
 
   for (const entry of entries) {
-    await rm(join(resolvedOutputPath, entry), { force: true, recursive: true, maxRetries: 3 });
+    const fullEntry = join(resolvedOutputPath, entry);
+
+    // Leave requested directories. This allows symlinks to continue to function.
+    if (directoriesToEmpty?.has(fullEntry)) {
+      await deleteOutputDir(resolvedOutputPath, fullEntry);
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    await rm(fullEntry, { force: true, recursive: true, maxRetries: 3 });
   }
 }