diff --git a/include/poller.php b/include/poller.php
index 80b6f35129..f771a3af4b 100644
--- a/include/poller.php
+++ b/include/poller.php
@@ -190,13 +190,14 @@ echo "Length:" . strlen($xml) . "\r\n";
 					intval($importer['uid'])
 				);
 				if(count($r)) {
-					if($r[0]['uri'] == $r[0]['parent-uri']) {
+					$item = $r[0];
+					if($item['uri'] == $item['parent-uri']) {
 						$r = q("UPDATE `item` SET `deleted` = 1, `edited` = '%s', `changed` = '%s',
 							`body` = '', `title` = ''
 							WHERE `parent-uri` = '%s'",
 							dbesc($when),
 							dbesc(datetime_convert()),
-							dbesc($r[0]['uri'])
+							dbesc($item['uri'])
 						);
 					}
 					else {
@@ -208,6 +209,24 @@ echo "Length:" . strlen($xml) . "\r\n";
 							dbesc($uri),
 							intval($importer['uid'])
 						);
+						if($item['last-child']) {
+							// ensure that last-child is set in case the comment that had it just got wiped.
+							$q("UPDATE `item` SET `last-child` = 0, `changed` = '%s' WHERE `parent-uri` = '%s' AND `uid` = %d ",
+								dbesc(datetime_convert()),
+								dbesc($item['parent-uri']),
+								intval($item['uid'])
+							);
+							// who is the last child now? 
+							$r = q("SELECT `id` FROM `item` WHERE `parent-uri` = '%s' AND `type` != 'activity' AND `deleted` = 0 
+								ORDER BY `edited` DESC LIMIT 1",
+									dbesc($item['parent-uri'])
+							);
+							if(count($r)) {
+								q("UPDATE `item` SET `last-child` = 1 WHERE `id` = %d LIMIT 1",
+									intval($r[0]['id'])
+								);
+							}
+						}	
 					}
 				}	
 				continue;
diff --git a/mod/dfrn_notify.php b/mod/dfrn_notify.php
index 089e508ad3..3e98377e88 100644
--- a/mod/dfrn_notify.php
+++ b/mod/dfrn_notify.php
@@ -123,12 +123,13 @@ function dfrn_notify_post(&$a) {
 				intval($importer['importer_uid'])
 			);
 			if(count($r)) {
-				if($r[0]['uri'] == $r[0]['parent-uri']) {
+				$item = $r[0];
+				if($item['uri'] == $item['parent-uri']) {
 					$r = q("UPDATE `item` SET `deleted` = 1, `edited` = '%s', `changed` = '%s'
 						WHERE `parent-uri` = '%s'",
 						dbesc($when),
 						dbesc(datetime_convert()),
-						dbesc($r[0]['uri'])
+						dbesc($item['uri'])
 					);
 				}
 				else {
@@ -139,6 +140,24 @@ function dfrn_notify_post(&$a) {
 						dbesc($uri),
 						intval($importer['importer_uid'])
 					);
+					if($item['last-child']) {
+						// ensure that last-child is set in case the comment that had it just got wiped.
+						$q("UPDATE `item` SET `last-child` = 0, `changed` = '%s' WHERE `parent-uri` = '%s' AND `uid` = %d ",
+							dbesc(datetime_convert()),
+							dbesc($item['parent-uri']),
+							intval($item['uid'])
+						);
+						// who is the last child now? 
+						$r = q("SELECT `id` FROM `item` WHERE `parent-uri` = '%s' AND `type` != 'activity' AND `deleted` = 0 
+							ORDER BY `edited` DESC LIMIT 1",
+								dbesc($item['parent-uri'])
+						);
+						if(count($r)) {
+							q("UPDATE `item` SET `last-child` = 1 WHERE `id` = %d LIMIT 1",
+								intval($r[0]['id'])
+							);
+						}	
+					}
 				}
 			}	
 			continue;
diff --git a/mod/item.php b/mod/item.php
index 812216426b..c790d31dac 100644
--- a/mod/item.php
+++ b/mod/item.php
@@ -313,7 +313,23 @@ function item_content(&$a) {
 				);
 				// ignore the result
 			}
-
+			else {
+				// ensure that last-child is set in case the comment that had it just got wiped.
+				q("UPDATE `item` SET `last-child` = 0, `changed` = '%s' WHERE `parent-uri` = '%s' AND `uid` = %d ",
+					dbesc(datetime_convert()),
+					dbesc($item['parent-uri']),
+					intval($item['uid'])
+				);
+				// who is the last child now? 
+				$r = q("SELECT `id` FROM `item` WHERE `parent-uri` = '%s' AND `type` != 'activity' AND `deleted` = 0 ORDER BY `edited` DESC LIMIT 1",
+					dbesc($item['parent-uri'])
+				);
+				if(count($r)) {
+					q("UPDATE `item` SET `last-child` = 1 WHERE `id` = %d LIMIT 1",
+						intval($r[0]['id'])
+					);
+				}	
+			}
 			$drop_id = intval($item['id']);
 			$php_path = ((strlen($a->config['php_path'])) ? $a->config['php_path'] : 'php');