diff --git a/data/model/legacy.py b/data/model/legacy.py
index 12f344681..0f1b999cc 100644
--- a/data/model/legacy.py
+++ b/data/model/legacy.py
@@ -1389,13 +1389,13 @@ def garbage_collect_repository(namespace_name, repository_name):
     all_images = {int(img.id): img for img in all_repo_images}
     to_remove = set(all_images.keys()).difference(referenced_anscestors)
 
-    storage_id_whitelist = {all_images[to_remove_id].storage.id for to_remove_id in to_remove}
+    if len(to_remove) > 0:
+      logger.info('Cleaning up unreferenced images: %s', to_remove)
+      storage_id_whitelist = {all_images[to_remove_id].storage.id for to_remove_id in to_remove}
 
-    logger.info('Cleaning up unreferenced images: %s', to_remove)
-    Image.delete().where(Image.id << list(to_remove)).execute()
+      Image.delete().where(Image.id << list(to_remove)).execute()
 
-  if len(storage_id_whitelist) > 0:
-    garbage_collect_storage(storage_id_whitelist)
+      garbage_collect_storage(storage_id_whitelist)
 
   return len(to_remove)