diff --git a/swift/account/backend.py b/swift/account/backend.py
index e19a5e8bbf..9fc3c27468 100644
--- a/swift/account/backend.py
+++ b/swift/account/backend.py
@@ -312,9 +312,10 @@ class AccountBroker(DatabaseBroker):
         """Only returns true if the status field is set to DELETED."""
         with self.get() as conn:
             row = conn.execute('''
-                SELECT status
+                SELECT put_timestamp, delete_timestamp, status
                 FROM account_stat''').fetchone()
-            return (row['status'] == "DELETED")
+            return row['status'] == "DELETED" or (
+                row['delete_timestamp'] > row['put_timestamp'])
 
     def get_policy_stats(self):
         """
diff --git a/test/unit/account/test_backend.py b/test/unit/account/test_backend.py
index eb0bccc8a4..21fe2acf0b 100644
--- a/test/unit/account/test_backend.py
+++ b/test/unit/account/test_backend.py
@@ -91,6 +91,21 @@ class TestAccountBroker(unittest.TestCase):
                              POLICIES.default.idx)
         self.assert_(broker.empty())
 
+    def test_is_status_deleted(self):
+        # Test AccountBroker.is_status_deleted
+        broker1 = AccountBroker(':memory:', account='a')
+        broker1.initialize(Timestamp(time()).internal)
+        self.assert_(not broker1.is_status_deleted())
+        broker1.delete_db(Timestamp(time()).internal)
+        self.assert_(broker1.is_status_deleted())
+        broker2 = AccountBroker(':memory:', account='a')
+        broker2.initialize(Timestamp(time()).internal)
+        # Set delete_timestamp greater than put_timestamp
+        broker2.merge_timestamps(
+            time(), Timestamp(time()).internal,
+            Timestamp(time() + 999).internal)
+        self.assert_(broker2.is_status_deleted())
+
     def test_reclaim(self):
         broker = AccountBroker(':memory:', account='test_account')
         broker.initialize(Timestamp('1').internal)