diff --git a/evennia/commands/default/building.py b/evennia/commands/default/building.py
index 3904b71fff..61a46bde30 100644
--- a/evennia/commands/default/building.py
+++ b/evennia/commands/default/building.py
@@ -647,29 +647,32 @@ class CmdDestroy(COMMAND_DEFAULT_CLASS):
         def delobj(obj):
             # helper function for deleting a single object
             string = ""
-            objname = obj.name
-            if not (obj.access(caller, "control") or obj.access(caller, 'delete')):
-                return "\nYou don't have permission to delete %s." % objname
-            if obj.account and 'override' not in self.switches:
-                return "\nObject %s is controlled by an active account. Use /override to delete anyway." % objname
-            if obj.dbid == int(settings.DEFAULT_HOME.lstrip("#")):
-                return "\nYou are trying to delete |c%s|n, which is set as DEFAULT_HOME. " \
-                    "Re-point settings.DEFAULT_HOME to another " \
-                    "object before continuing." % objname
-
-            had_exits = hasattr(obj, "exits") and obj.exits
-            had_objs = hasattr(obj, "contents") and any(obj for obj in obj.contents
-                                                        if not (hasattr(obj, "exits") and obj not in obj.exits))
-            # do the deletion
-            okay = obj.delete()
-            if not okay:
-                string += "\nERROR: %s not deleted, probably because delete() returned False." % objname
+            if not obj.pk:
+                string = "\nObject %s was already deleted." % obj.db_key
             else:
-                string += "\n%s was destroyed." % objname
-                if had_exits:
-                    string += " Exits to and from %s were destroyed as well." % objname
-                if had_objs:
-                    string += " Objects inside %s were moved to their homes." % objname
+                objname = obj.name
+                if not (obj.access(caller, "control") or obj.access(caller, 'delete')):
+                    return "\nYou don't have permission to delete %s." % objname
+                if obj.account and 'override' not in self.switches:
+                    return "\nObject %s is controlled by an active account. Use /override to delete anyway." % objname
+                if obj.dbid == int(settings.DEFAULT_HOME.lstrip("#")):
+                    return "\nYou are trying to delete |c%s|n, which is set as DEFAULT_HOME. " \
+                        "Re-point settings.DEFAULT_HOME to another " \
+                        "object before continuing." % objname
+
+                had_exits = hasattr(obj, "exits") and obj.exits
+                had_objs = hasattr(obj, "contents") and any(obj for obj in obj.contents
+                                                            if not (hasattr(obj, "exits") and obj not in obj.exits))
+                # do the deletion
+                okay = obj.delete()
+                if not okay:
+                    string += "\nERROR: %s not deleted, probably because delete() returned False." % objname
+                else:
+                    string += "\n%s was destroyed." % objname
+                    if had_exits:
+                        string += " Exits to and from %s were destroyed as well." % objname
+                    if had_objs:
+                        string += " Objects inside %s were moved to their homes." % objname
             return string
 
         objs = []
diff --git a/evennia/objects/objects.py b/evennia/objects/objects.py
index 6915c95d95..0181aef740 100644
--- a/evennia/objects/objects.py
+++ b/evennia/objects/objects.py
@@ -830,8 +830,6 @@ class DefaultObject(with_metaclass(TypeclassBase, ObjectDB)):
         new_key = new_key or find_clone_key()
         return ObjectDB.objects.copy_object(self, new_key=new_key)
 
-    delete_iter = 0
-
     def delete(self):
         """
         Deletes this object.  Before deletion, this method makes sure
@@ -847,20 +845,11 @@ class DefaultObject(with_metaclass(TypeclassBase, ObjectDB)):
         if not _ScriptDB:
             from evennia.scripts.models import ScriptDB as _ScriptDB
 
-        if self.delete_iter > 0:
-            # make sure to only call delete once on this object
-            # (avoid recursive loops)
+        if not self.pk or not self.at_object_delete():
+            # This object has already been deleted,
+            # or the pre-delete check return False
             return False
 
-        if not self.at_object_delete():
-            # this is an extra pre-check
-            # run before deletion field-related properties
-            # is kicked into gear.
-            self.delete_iter = 0
-            return False
-
-        self.delete_iter += 1
-
         # See if we need to kick the account off.
 
         for session in self.sessions.all():