diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/7464-fix-vm-removal-in-proxmox_pool_member.yml b/changelogs/fragments/7464-fix-vm-removal-in-proxmox_pool_member.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b42abc88c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/7464-fix-vm-removal-in-proxmox_pool_member.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+bugfixes:
+  - proxmox_pool_member - absent state for type VM did not delete VMs from the pools (https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.general/pull/7464).
diff --git a/plugins/modules/proxmox_pool_member.py b/plugins/modules/proxmox_pool_member.py
index 40efb3e1c4..7d6b249493 100644
--- a/plugins/modules/proxmox_pool_member.py
+++ b/plugins/modules/proxmox_pool_member.py
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ class ProxmoxPoolMemberAnsible(ProxmoxAnsible):
                     self.module.exit_json(changed=False, poolid=poolid, member=member,
                                           diff=diff, msg="VM {0} is not part of the pool {1}".format(member, poolid))
 
-                all_members_after.remove(member)
+                all_members_after.remove(vmid)
 
                 if not self.module.check_mode:
                     self.proxmox_api.pools(poolid).put(vms=[vmid], delete=1)