diff --git a/app/controllers/photos_controller.rb b/app/controllers/photos_controller.rb
index b21ff49f1..d9190ae0f 100644
--- a/app/controllers/photos_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/photos_controller.rb
@@ -127,13 +127,8 @@ class PhotosController < ApplicationController
         format.json{ render :nothing => true, :status => 204 }
         format.html do
           flash[:notice] = I18n.t 'photos.destroy.notice'
-          if photo.status_message_guid
-            if photo.status_message.text_and_photos_blank?
-              photo.status_message.destroy
-              respond_with photo, :location => person_photos_path(current_user.person)
-            else
+          if StatusMessage.find_by_guid(photo.status_message_guid)
               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/photo.rb b/app/models/photo.rb
index 0f8118257..cdebd3f2a 100644
--- a/app/models/photo.rb
+++ b/app/models/photo.rb
@@ -19,8 +19,17 @@ class Photo < Post
   validate :ownership_of_status_message
 
   before_destroy :ensure_user_picture
+  after_destroy :clear_empty_status_message
   after_create :queue_processing_job
 
+  def clear_empty_status_message
+    if self.status_message_guid && self.status_message.text_and_photos_blank?
+      self.status_message.destroy
+    else
+      true
+    end
+  end
+
   def ownership_of_status_message
     message = StatusMessage.find_by_guid(self.status_message_guid)
     if self.status_message_guid && message