diff --git a/mod/tagrm.php b/mod/tagrm.php
index 4bdaeb32f1..8497bc28a6 100644
--- a/mod/tagrm.php
+++ b/mod/tagrm.php
@@ -71,9 +71,6 @@ function update_tags($item_id, $tags){
 	Item::update(['tag' => $tag_str], ['id' => $item_id]);
 
 	info(L10n::t('Tag(s) removed') . EOL );
-	$a->internalRedirect($_SESSION['photo_return']);
-
-	// NOTREACHED
 }
 
 function tagrm_content(App $a)
diff --git a/src/Model/Item.php b/src/Model/Item.php
index 9b016295ee..3df2429313 100644
--- a/src/Model/Item.php
+++ b/src/Model/Item.php
@@ -896,14 +896,15 @@ class Item extends BaseObject
 			}
 
 			if (!is_null($tags)) {
-				Term::deleteAllTags($item['id']);
-
 				if ($tags) {
 					Term::insertFromTagFieldByItemId($item['id'], $tags);
 					if (!empty($item['tag'])) {
 						DBA::update('item', ['tag' => ''], ['id' => $item['id']]);
 					}
 				}
+				else {
+					Term::deleteAllTags($item['id']);
+				}
 			}
 
 			if (!empty($files)) {