diff --git a/src/utils/create.py b/src/utils/create.py
index 13052d207f..b1e4e9e27c 100644
--- a/src/utils/create.py
+++ b/src/utils/create.py
@@ -150,7 +150,11 @@ def create_object(typeclass=None, key=None, location=None,
     if not _GA(new_object, "is_typeclass")(typeclass, exact=True):
         # this will fail if we gave a typeclass as input and it still
         # gave us a default
-        SharedMemoryModel.delete(new_db_object)
+        try:
+            SharedMemoryModel.delete(new_db_object)
+        except AssertionError:
+            # this happens if object was never created
+            pass
         if report_to:
             report_to = handle_dbref(report_to, _ObjectDB)
             _GA(report_to, "msg")("Error creating %s (%s).\n%s" % (new_db_object.key, typeclass,