diff --git a/cmd/backend/articles.go b/cmd/backend/articles.go
index 656e71e..e8c5802 100644
--- a/cmd/backend/articles.go
+++ b/cmd/backend/articles.go
@@ -257,11 +257,23 @@ func (db *DB) AddArticleToCurrentIssue(id int64) error {
 
 func (db *DB) DeleteArticle(id int64) error {
 	articlesTagsQuery := "DELETE FROM articles_tags WHERE article_id = ?"
+	articlesContributorsQuery := "DELETE FROM articles_contributors WHERE article_id = ?"
+	articlesAuthorsQuery := "DELETE FROM articles_authors WHERE article_id = ?"
 	articlesQuery := "DELETE FROM articles WHERE id = ?"
 
 	_, err := db.Exec(articlesTagsQuery, id)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("error deleting article %v from DB: %v", id, err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("error deleting articles_tags %v from DB: %v", id, err)
+	}
+
+	_, err = db.Exec(articlesContributorsQuery, id)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("error deleting articles_contributors %v from DB: %v", id, err)
+	}
+
+	_, err = db.Exec(articlesAuthorsQuery, id)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("error deleting articles_authors %v from DB: %v", id, err)
 	}
 
 	_, err = db.Exec(articlesQuery, id)
diff --git a/cmd/backend/articles_authors.go b/cmd/backend/articles_authors.go
index 2b5d451..0f4ef9e 100644
--- a/cmd/backend/articles_authors.go
+++ b/cmd/backend/articles_authors.go
@@ -112,14 +112,3 @@ func (db *DB) UpdateArticleAuthors(articleID int64, authorIDs []int64) error {
 	}
 	return fmt.Errorf("error: %v unsuccessful retries for DB operation, aborting", TxMaxRetries)
 }
-
-func (db *DB) DeleteArticleAuthors(articleID int64) error {
-	query := "DELETE FROM articles_authors WHERE article_id = ?"
-
-	_, err := db.Exec(query, articleID)
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("error deleting articles_authors %v from DB: %v", articleID, err)
-	}
-
-	return nil
-}
diff --git a/cmd/backend/articles_contributors.go b/cmd/backend/articles_contributors.go
index 4f6182d..696c606 100644
--- a/cmd/backend/articles_contributors.go
+++ b/cmd/backend/articles_contributors.go
@@ -112,14 +112,3 @@ func (db *DB) UpdateArticleContributors(articleID int64, contributorIDs []int64)
 	}
 	return fmt.Errorf("error: %v unsuccessful retries for DB operation, aborting", TxMaxRetries)
 }
-
-func (db *DB) DeleteArticleContributors(articleID int64) error {
-	query := "DELETE FROM articles_contributors WHERE article_id = ?"
-
-	_, err := db.Exec(query, articleID)
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("error deleting articles_contributors %v from DB: %v", articleID, err)
-	}
-
-	return nil
-}
diff --git a/cmd/frontend/articles.go b/cmd/frontend/articles.go
index be873e4..5d768a3 100644
--- a/cmd/frontend/articles.go
+++ b/cmd/frontend/articles.go
@@ -590,18 +590,6 @@ func PublishArticle(c *b.Config, db *b.DB, s *b.CookieStore) http.HandlerFunc {
 				return
 			}
 
-			if err = db.DeleteArticleContributors(oldArticle.ID); err != nil {
-				log.Println(err)
-				http.Error(w, err.Error(), http.StatusInternalServerError)
-				return
-			}
-
-			if err = db.DeleteArticleAuthors(oldArticle.ID); err != nil {
-				log.Println(err)
-				http.Error(w, err.Error(), http.StatusInternalServerError)
-				return
-			}
-
 			if err = db.DeleteArticle(oldArticle.ID); err != nil {
 				log.Println(err)
 				http.Error(w, err.Error(), http.StatusInternalServerError)