--- revisioning.module
+++ revisioning.module
@@ -631,7 +631,7 @@ function _handle_edit(&$node, $op) {
 
       case 'update': // called from end of node_save(), after _node_save_revision()
         $node->revision = $node->original_revision;
-        if (isset($node->original_vid) && $node->original_vid != $node->vid) {
+        if ($node->status && isset($node->original_vid) && $node->original_vid != $node->vid) {
           // Resetting node vid back to its originial value, thus creating pending revision
           db_query("UPDATE {node} SET vid=%d WHERE nid=%d", $node->original_vid, $node->nid);
         }