diff --git a/field_collection.module b/field_collection.module
index bf6a005..da0d15e 100644
--- a/field_collection.module
+++ b/field_collection.module
@@ -958,8 +958,9 @@ function field_collection_field_update($entity_type, $entity, $field, $instance,
  * Implements hook_field_delete().
  */
 function field_collection_field_delete($entity_type, $entity, $field, $instance, $langcode, &$items) {
+  $ids = field_collection_field_item_to_ids($items);
   // Also delete all embedded entities.
-  if ($ids = field_collection_field_item_to_ids($items)) {
+  if ($ids && field_info_field($field['field_name'])) {
     // We filter out entities that are still being referenced by other
     // host-entities. This should never be the case, but it might happened e.g.
     // when modules cloned a node without knowing about field-collection.