diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_single.py b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_single.py
index 1393a50738..82b6ac8cbf 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_single.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_single.py
@@ -760,6 +760,7 @@ class MetadataSingleDialog(ResizableDialog, Ui_MetadataSingleDialog):
                         _('Could not open %s. Is it being used by another'
                         ' program?')%fname, show=True)
             raise
+        self.db.clean()
         self.save_state()
         QDialog.accept(self)
         if callable(self.accepted_callback):
diff --git a/src/calibre/library/database2.py b/src/calibre/library/database2.py
index 3b7efd500d..93c42ea342 100644
--- a/src/calibre/library/database2.py
+++ b/src/calibre/library/database2.py
@@ -1126,7 +1126,6 @@ class LibraryDatabase2(LibraryDatabase, SchemaUpgrade, CustomColumns):
         if not authors:
             authors = [_('Unknown')]
         self.conn.execute('DELETE FROM books_authors_link WHERE book=?',(id,))
-        self.conn.execute('DELETE FROM authors WHERE (SELECT COUNT(id) FROM books_authors_link WHERE author=authors.id) < 1')
         for a in authors:
             if not a:
                 continue