diff --git a/django/db/models/query.py b/django/db/models/query.py
index e1f785f714..1a44523374 100644
--- a/django/db/models/query.py
+++ b/django/db/models/query.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ from django.db.models.deletion import Collector
 from django.db.models.expressions import Case, F, Value, When
 from django.db.models.functions import Cast, Trunc
 from django.db.models.query_utils import FilteredRelation, Q
-from django.db.models.sql.constants import CURSOR, GET_ITERATOR_CHUNK_SIZE
+from django.db.models.sql.constants import GET_ITERATOR_CHUNK_SIZE, ROW_COUNT
 from django.db.models.utils import (
     AltersData,
     create_namedtuple_class,
@@ -1209,11 +1209,7 @@ class QuerySet(AltersData):
         """
         query = self.query.clone()
         query.__class__ = sql.DeleteQuery
-        cursor = query.get_compiler(using).execute_sql(CURSOR)
-        if cursor:
-            with cursor:
-                return cursor.rowcount
-        return 0
+        return query.get_compiler(using).execute_sql(ROW_COUNT)
 
     _raw_delete.alters_data = True
 
@@ -1252,7 +1248,7 @@ class QuerySet(AltersData):
         # Clear any annotations so that they won't be present in subqueries.
         query.annotations = {}
         with transaction.mark_for_rollback_on_error(using=self.db):
-            rows = query.get_compiler(self.db).execute_sql(CURSOR)
+            rows = query.get_compiler(self.db).execute_sql(ROW_COUNT)
         self._result_cache = None
         return rows
 
@@ -1277,7 +1273,7 @@ class QuerySet(AltersData):
         # Clear any annotations so that they won't be present in subqueries.
         query.annotations = {}
         self._result_cache = None
-        return query.get_compiler(self.db).execute_sql(CURSOR)
+        return query.get_compiler(self.db).execute_sql(ROW_COUNT)
 
     _update.alters_data = True
     _update.queryset_only = False
diff --git a/django/db/models/sql/compiler.py b/django/db/models/sql/compiler.py
index 49c5d301cc..5bb491d823 100644
--- a/django/db/models/sql/compiler.py
+++ b/django/db/models/sql/compiler.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ from django.db.models.sql.constants import (
     MULTI,
     NO_RESULTS,
     ORDER_DIR,
+    ROW_COUNT,
     SINGLE,
 )
 from django.db.models.sql.query import Query, get_order_dir
@@ -1596,15 +1597,15 @@ class SQLCompiler:
     ):
         """
         Run the query against the database and return the result(s). The
-        return value is a single data item if result_type is SINGLE, or an
-        iterator over the results if the result_type is MULTI.
+        return value depends on the value of result_type.
 
-        result_type is either MULTI (use fetchmany() to retrieve all rows),
-        SINGLE (only retrieve a single row), or None. In this last case, the
-        cursor is returned if any query is executed, since it's used by
-        subclasses such as InsertQuery). It's possible, however, that no query
-        is needed, as the filters describe an empty set. In that case, None is
-        returned, to avoid any unnecessary database interaction.
+        When result_type is:
+        - MULTI: Retrieves all rows using fetchmany(). Wraps in an iterator for
+           chunked reads when supported.
+        - SINGLE: Retrieves a single row using fetchone().
+        - ROW_COUNT: Retrieves the number of rows in the result.
+        - CURSOR: Runs the query, and returns the cursor object. It is the
+           caller's responsibility to close the cursor.
         """
         result_type = result_type or NO_RESULTS
         try:
@@ -1627,6 +1628,11 @@ class SQLCompiler:
             cursor.close()
             raise
 
+        if result_type == ROW_COUNT:
+            try:
+                return cursor.rowcount
+            finally:
+                cursor.close()
         if result_type == CURSOR:
             # Give the caller the cursor to process and close.
             return cursor
@@ -2069,19 +2075,19 @@ class SQLUpdateCompiler(SQLCompiler):
         non-empty query that is executed. Row counts for any subsequent,
         related queries are not available.
         """
-        cursor = super().execute_sql(result_type)
-        try:
-            rows = cursor.rowcount if cursor else 0
-            is_empty = cursor is None
-        finally:
-            if cursor:
-                cursor.close()
+        row_count = super().execute_sql(result_type)
+        is_empty = row_count is None
+        row_count = row_count or 0
+
         for query in self.query.get_related_updates():
-            aux_rows = query.get_compiler(self.using).execute_sql(result_type)
-            if is_empty and aux_rows:
-                rows = aux_rows
+            # If the result_type is NO_RESULTS then the aux_row_count is None.
+            aux_row_count = query.get_compiler(self.using).execute_sql(result_type)
+            if is_empty and aux_row_count:
+                # Returns the row count for any related updates as the number of
+                # rows updated.
+                row_count = aux_row_count
                 is_empty = False
-        return rows
+        return row_count
 
     def pre_sql_setup(self):
         """
diff --git a/django/db/models/sql/constants.py b/django/db/models/sql/constants.py
index fdfb2ea891..709405b0df 100644
--- a/django/db/models/sql/constants.py
+++ b/django/db/models/sql/constants.py
@@ -11,8 +11,10 @@ GET_ITERATOR_CHUNK_SIZE = 100
 # How many results to expect from a cursor.execute call
 MULTI = "multi"
 SINGLE = "single"
-CURSOR = "cursor"
 NO_RESULTS = "no results"
+# Rather than returning results, returns:
+CURSOR = "cursor"
+ROW_COUNT = "row count"
 
 ORDER_DIR = {
     "ASC": ("ASC", "DESC"),
diff --git a/django/db/models/sql/subqueries.py b/django/db/models/sql/subqueries.py
index f639eb8b82..b2810c8413 100644
--- a/django/db/models/sql/subqueries.py
+++ b/django/db/models/sql/subqueries.py
@@ -3,7 +3,11 @@ Query subclasses which provide extra functionality beyond simple data retrieval.
 """
 
 from django.core.exceptions import FieldError
-from django.db.models.sql.constants import CURSOR, GET_ITERATOR_CHUNK_SIZE, NO_RESULTS
+from django.db.models.sql.constants import (
+    GET_ITERATOR_CHUNK_SIZE,
+    NO_RESULTS,
+    ROW_COUNT,
+)
 from django.db.models.sql.query import Query
 
 __all__ = ["DeleteQuery", "UpdateQuery", "InsertQuery", "AggregateQuery"]
@@ -17,11 +21,7 @@ class DeleteQuery(Query):
     def do_query(self, table, where, using):
         self.alias_map = {table: self.alias_map[table]}
         self.where = where
-        cursor = self.get_compiler(using).execute_sql(CURSOR)
-        if cursor:
-            with cursor:
-                return cursor.rowcount
-        return 0
+        return self.get_compiler(using).execute_sql(ROW_COUNT)
 
     def delete_batch(self, pk_list, using):
         """