diff --git a/app/controllers/photos_controller.rb b/app/controllers/photos_controller.rb
index 7a1406ea9..e95f1404a 100644
--- a/app/controllers/photos_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/photos_controller.rb
@@ -128,7 +128,12 @@ class PhotosController < ApplicationController
         format.html do
           flash[:notice] = I18n.t 'photos.destroy.notice'
           if photo.status_message_guid
-            respond_with photo, :location => post_path(photo.status_message)
+            if photo.status_message.empty?
+              photo.status_message.destroy
+              respond_with photo, :location => person_photos_path(current_user.person)
+            else
+              respond_with photo, :location => post_path(photo.status_message)
+            end
           else
             respond_with photo, :location => person_photos_path(current_user.person)
           end
diff --git a/app/models/status_message.rb b/app/models/status_message.rb
index c08386234..0db527a35 100644
--- a/app/models/status_message.rb
+++ b/app/models/status_message.rb
@@ -134,14 +134,19 @@ class StatusMessage < Post
 
   def comment_email_subject
     formatted_message(:plain_text => true)
+	end
+
+  def empty?
+    self.text.blank? && self.photos == []
   end
 
   protected
 
   def message_or_photos_present?
-    if self.text.blank? && self.photos == []
+    if self.blank?
       errors[:base] << 'Status message requires a message or at least one photo'
     end
   end
+
 end