diff --git a/nodeaccess.module b/nodeaccess.module
index 38905dd..e3b2f5d 100644
--- a/nodeaccess.module
+++ b/nodeaccess.module
@@ -953,10 +953,24 @@ function nodeaccess_delete_user_reference($node) {
   // reference field.
   $fields = variable_get('nodeaccess_' . $node->type . '_user_reference', array());
   foreach ($fields as $field_name => $field) {
-    $user_uids = field_get_items('node', $node, $field_name);
-    $user_references = user_load_multiple($user_uids);
-    foreach ($user_references as $user) {
-      unset($form_values['uid'][$user->uid]);
+    $field_user_uids = field_get_items('node', $node, $field_name);
+    if (is_array($field_user_uids)) {
+
+      // Create the array with uids for use in user_load_multiple
+      $user_uids = aray();
+      foreach($field_user_uids as $user_uid) {
+        if(!empty($user_uid['uid'])) {
+          $user_uids[] = $user_uid['uid'];
+        }
+      }
+
+      // Load the users and remove them from $form_values['uid']
+      if(!empty($user_uids)) {
+        $user_references = user_load_multiple($user_uids);
+        foreach ($user_references as $user) {
+          unset($form_values['uid'][$user->uid]);
+        }
+      }
     }
   }
   $form_values['nid'] = $node->nid;