diff --git a/arangod/VocBase/cleanup.cpp b/arangod/VocBase/cleanup.cpp
index e46d3f650c..3340f0b200 100644
--- a/arangod/VocBase/cleanup.cpp
+++ b/arangod/VocBase/cleanup.cpp
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ static void CleanupDocumentCollection (TRI_vocbase_col_t* collection,
         container->_numBarrierElements > 0) {
       // did not find anything at the head of the barrier list or found an element marker
       // this means we must exit and cannot throw away datafiles and can unload collections
+
       TRI_UnlockSpin(&container->_lock);
       return;
     }
@@ -131,12 +132,18 @@ static void CleanupDocumentCollection (TRI_vocbase_col_t* collection,
         if (! TRI_IsFullyCollectedDocumentCollection(document)) {
           bool isDeleted = false;
 
-          // if there is still some collection to perform, check if the collection was deleted already
+          // if there is still some garbage collection to perform, 
+          // check if the collection was deleted already
           if (TRI_TRY_READ_LOCK_STATUS_VOCBASE_COL(collection)) {
             isDeleted = (collection->_status == TRI_VOC_COL_STATUS_DELETED);
             TRI_READ_UNLOCK_STATUS_VOCBASE_COL(collection);
           }
 
+          if (! isDeleted && TRI_IsDeletedVocBase(collection->_vocbase)) {
+             // the collection was not marked as deleted, but the database was
+             isDeleted = true;
+           }
+
           if (! isDeleted) {
             // collection is not fully collected and still undeleted - postpone the unload
             return;
diff --git a/arangod/VocBase/vocbase.cpp b/arangod/VocBase/vocbase.cpp
index 5ebc6d02ad..66c8ae1df8 100644
--- a/arangod/VocBase/vocbase.cpp
+++ b/arangod/VocBase/vocbase.cpp
@@ -2336,6 +2336,18 @@ void TRI_ReleaseCollectionVocBase (TRI_vocbase_t* vocbase,
   TRI_READ_UNLOCK_STATUS_VOCBASE_COL(collection);
 }
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+/// @brief whether or not the vocbase has been marked as deleted
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+bool TRI_IsDeletedVocBase (TRI_vocbase_t* vocbase) {
+  TRI_LockSpin(&vocbase->_usage._lock);
+  bool isDeleted = vocbase->_usage._isDeleted;
+  TRI_UnlockSpin(&vocbase->_usage._lock);
+
+  return isDeleted;
+}
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 /// @brief increase the reference counter for a database
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/arangod/VocBase/vocbase.h b/arangod/VocBase/vocbase.h
index bbd1fa12fb..f7bbe04ecd 100644
--- a/arangod/VocBase/vocbase.h
+++ b/arangod/VocBase/vocbase.h
@@ -600,6 +600,12 @@ TRI_vocbase_col_t* TRI_UseCollectionByNameVocBase (TRI_vocbase_t*,
 void TRI_ReleaseCollectionVocBase (TRI_vocbase_t*,
                                    TRI_vocbase_col_t*);
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+/// @brief whether or not the vocbase has been marked as deleted
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+bool TRI_IsDeletedVocBase (TRI_vocbase_t*);
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 /// @brief increase the reference counter for a database
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////