diff --git a/modules/heartbeat_comments/heartbeat_comments.module b/modules/heartbeat_comments/heartbeat_comments.module
index 64e483f..4973b1e 100644
--- a/modules/heartbeat_comments/heartbeat_comments.module
+++ b/modules/heartbeat_comments/heartbeat_comments.module
@@ -890,11 +890,7 @@ function _heartbeat_comments_delete_access($hcid) {
     }
     // otherweise we need to check whether they are the commenter (i.e. they are allowed to delete their own comments)
     else {
-      $uid = db_select('heartbeat_comments', 'hc')
-        ->fields('hc', array('uid'))
-        ->condition('hcid', $hcid)
-        ->execute()
-        ->fetchField('uid');
+      $uid = db_query('SELECT uid from {heartbeat_comments} WHERE hcid = :hcid', array(':hcid' => $hcid))->fetchField();
       return $uid == $GLOBALS['user']->uid;
     }