diff --git a/glanceclient/tests/unit/v2/test_shell_v2.py b/glanceclient/tests/unit/v2/test_shell_v2.py
index e2678af6..39699ced 100644
--- a/glanceclient/tests/unit/v2/test_shell_v2.py
+++ b/glanceclient/tests/unit/v2/test_shell_v2.py
@@ -582,9 +582,8 @@ class ShellV2Test(testtools.TestCase):
     def test_do_image_delete_deleted(self):
         image_id = 'deleted-img'
         args = self._make_args({'id': image_id})
-        with mock.patch.object(self.gc.images, 'get') as mocked_get:
-            mocked_get.return_value = self._make_args({'id': image_id,
-                                                       'status': 'deleted'})
+        with mock.patch.object(self.gc.images, 'delete') as mocked_get:
+            mocked_get.side_effect = exc.HTTPNotFound
 
             msg = "No image with an ID of '%s' exists." % image_id
             self.assert_exits_with_msg(func=test_shell.do_image_delete,
diff --git a/glanceclient/v2/shell.py b/glanceclient/v2/shell.py
index 3ae5d41e..08271e01 100644
--- a/glanceclient/v2/shell.py
+++ b/glanceclient/v2/shell.py
@@ -314,11 +314,11 @@ def do_image_upload(gc, args):
 @utils.arg('id', metavar='<IMAGE_ID>', help='ID of image to delete.')
 def do_image_delete(gc, args):
     """Delete specified image."""
-    image = gc.images.get(args.id)
-    if image and image.status == "deleted":
-        msg = "No image with an ID of '%s' exists." % image.id
+    try:
+        gc.images.delete(args.id)
+    except exc.HTTPNotFound:
+        msg = "No image with an ID of '%s' exists." % args.id
         utils.exit(msg)
-    gc.images.delete(args.id)
 
 
 @utils.arg('image_id', metavar='<IMAGE_ID>',