Index: modules/field/field.crud.inc
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvs/drupal/drupal/modules/field/field.crud.inc,v
retrieving revision 1.73
diff -u -p -r1.73 field.crud.inc
--- modules/field/field.crud.inc	15 Dec 2010 04:13:48 -0000	1.73
+++ modules/field/field.crud.inc	15 Dec 2010 19:47:08 -0000
@@ -583,7 +583,7 @@ function field_read_fields($params = arr
  */
 function field_delete_field($field_name) {
   // Delete all non-deleted instances.
-  $field = field_info_field($field_name);
+  $field = field_read_field($field_name, array('include_inactive' => TRUE));
   if (isset($field['bundles'])) {
     foreach ($field['bundles'] as $entity_type => $bundles) {
       foreach ($bundles as $bundle) {
@@ -941,7 +941,7 @@ function field_delete_instance($instance
   field_cache_clear();
 
   // Mark instance data for deletion.
-  $field = field_info_field($instance['field_name']);
+  $field = field_read_field($instance['field_name'], array('include_inactive' => TRUE));
   module_invoke($field['storage']['module'], 'field_storage_delete_instance', $instance);
 
   // Let modules react to the deletion of the instance.
@@ -1037,13 +1037,17 @@ function field_delete_instance($instance
  *   The maximum number of field data records to purge before returning.
  */
 function field_purge_batch($batch_size) {
-  // Retrieve all deleted field instances. We cannot use field_info_instances()
-  // because that function does not return deleted instances.
-  $instances = field_read_instances(array('deleted' => 1), array('include_deleted' => 1));
+  // Retrieve all deleted field instances, regardless its active status.
+  // A field is inactive when the module providing with its field type has
+  // been disabled.
+  $instances = field_read_instances(array('deleted' => 1), array('include_deleted' => TRUE, 'include_inactive' => TRUE));
 
   foreach ($instances as $instance) {
     // field_purge_data() will need the field array.
-    $field = field_info_field_by_id($instance['field_id']);
+    $field = field_read_field($instance['field_name'], array('include_deleted' => TRUE, 'include_inactive' => TRUE));
+    if (empty($field['storage']['active'])){
+      continue;
+    }
     // Retrieve some entities.
     $query = new EntityFieldQuery();
     $results = $query
@@ -1068,10 +1072,10 @@ function field_purge_batch($batch_size) 
     }
   }
 
-  // Retrieve all deleted fields. Any that have no instances can be purged.
-  $fields = field_read_fields(array('deleted' => 1), array('include_deleted' => 1));
+  // Retrieve all deleted fields. Any that have no bundles can be purged.
+  $fields = field_read_fields(array('deleted' => 1), array('include_deleted' => TRUE, 'include_inactive' => TRUE));
   foreach ($fields as $field) {
-    $instances = field_read_instances(array('field_id' => $field['id']), array('include_deleted' => 1));
+    $instances = field_read_instances(array('field_id' => $field['id']), array('include_deleted' => TRUE, 'include_inactive' => TRUE));
     if (empty($instances)) {
       field_purge_field($field);
     }
Index: modules/field/modules/field_sql_storage/field_sql_storage.module
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvs/drupal/drupal/modules/field/modules/field_sql_storage/field_sql_storage.module,v
retrieving revision 1.57
diff -u -p -r1.57 field_sql_storage.module
--- modules/field/modules/field_sql_storage/field_sql_storage.module	14 Dec 2010 19:50:05 -0000	1.57
+++ modules/field/modules/field_sql_storage/field_sql_storage.module	15 Dec 2010 19:47:08 -0000
@@ -622,7 +622,7 @@ function field_sql_storage_field_storage
  * This function simply marks for deletion all data associated with the field.
  */
 function field_sql_storage_field_storage_delete_instance($instance) {
-  $field = field_info_field($instance['field_name']);
+  $field = field_read_field($instance['field_name'], array('include_inactive' => TRUE));
   $table_name = _field_sql_storage_tablename($field);
   $revision_name = _field_sql_storage_revision_tablename($field);
   db_update($table_name)
Index: modules/field/tests/field.test
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvs/drupal/drupal/modules/field/tests/field.test,v
retrieving revision 1.47
diff -u -p -r1.47 field.test
--- modules/field/tests/field.test	15 Dec 2010 04:13:48 -0000	1.47
+++ modules/field/tests/field.test	15 Dec 2010 19:47:10 -0000
@@ -2096,11 +2096,13 @@ class FieldCrudTestCase extends FieldTes
   function testDeleteField() {
     // TODO: Also test deletion of the data stored in the field ?
 
-    // Create two fields (so we can test that only one is deleted).
+    // Create three fields (so we can test which is deleted).
     $this->field = array('field_name' => 'field_1', 'type' => 'test_field');
     field_create_field($this->field);
     $this->another_field = array('field_name' => 'field_2', 'type' => 'test_field');
     field_create_field($this->another_field);
+    $this->inactive_field = array('field_name' => 'field_inactive', 'type' => 'test_field');
+    field_create_field($this->inactive_field);
 
     // Create instances for each.
     $this->instance_definition = array(
@@ -2112,10 +2114,21 @@ class FieldCrudTestCase extends FieldTes
       ),
     );
     field_create_instance($this->instance_definition);
+
     $this->another_instance_definition = $this->instance_definition;
     $this->another_instance_definition['field_name'] = $this->another_field['field_name'];
     field_create_instance($this->another_instance_definition);
 
+    $this->inactive_instance_definition = $this->instance_definition;
+    $this->inactive_instance_definition['field_name'] = $this->inactive_field['field_name'];
+    field_create_instance($this->inactive_instance_definition);
+
+    // Simulate an inactive field.
+    db_update('field_config')
+      ->fields(array('active' => 0))
+      ->condition('field_name', $this->inactive_field['field_name'])
+      ->execute();
+
     // Test that the first field is not deleted, and then delete it.
     $field = field_read_field($this->field['field_name'], array('include_deleted' => TRUE));
     $this->assertTrue(!empty($field) && empty($field['deleted']), t('A new field is not marked for deletion.'));
@@ -2145,6 +2158,17 @@ class FieldCrudTestCase extends FieldTes
     $another_instance = field_read_instance('test_entity', $this->another_instance_definition['field_name'], $this->another_instance_definition['bundle']);
     $this->assertTrue(!empty($another_instance) && empty($another_instance['deleted']), t('An instance of a non-deleted field is not marked for deletion.'));
 
+    // Make sure that the inactive field is marked as deleted when it is
+    // specifically loaded.
+    field_delete_field($this->inactive_field['field_name']);
+    $field = field_read_field($this->inactive_field['field_name'], array('include_deleted' => TRUE, 'include_inactive' => TRUE));
+    $this->assertTrue(!empty($field['deleted']), t('A deleted inactive field is marked for deletion.'));
+
+    // Try to load the instance of the inactive field normally and make sure
+    // it does not show up.
+    $instance = field_read_instance('test_entity', $this->inactive_instance_definition['field_name'], $this->inactive_instance_definition['bundle']);
+    $this->assertTrue(empty($instance), t('An instance for a deleted inactive field is not loaded by default.'));
+
     // Try to create a new field the same name as a deleted field and
     // write data into it.
     field_create_field($this->field);
@@ -2961,6 +2985,12 @@ class FieldBulkDeleteTestCase extends Fi
         $id++;
       }
     }
+
+    // Simulate an inactive field.
+    db_update('field_config')
+      ->fields(array('active' => 0))
+      ->condition('field_name', 'bf_2')
+      ->execute();
   }
 
   /**