diff --git a/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.dstore.core/src/org/eclipse/dstore/core/model/DataElement.java b/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.dstore.core/src/org/eclipse/dstore/core/model/DataElement.java
index 414be7263b4..ffae602b619 100644
--- a/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.dstore.core/src/org/eclipse/dstore/core/model/DataElement.java
+++ b/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.dstore.core/src/org/eclipse/dstore/core/model/DataElement.java
@@ -1630,7 +1630,7 @@ public final class DataElement implements IDataElement
 			{
 				_attributes[i] = null;
 			}
-
+			_attributes = null;
 		}
 
 		if (_nestedData != null)
diff --git a/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.dstore.core/src/org/eclipse/dstore/core/model/UpdateHandler.java b/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.dstore.core/src/org/eclipse/dstore/core/model/UpdateHandler.java
index 0262e54cda7..64e02e380b8 100644
--- a/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.dstore.core/src/org/eclipse/dstore/core/model/UpdateHandler.java
+++ b/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.dstore.core/src/org/eclipse/dstore/core/model/UpdateHandler.java
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ public abstract class UpdateHandler extends Handler
 							child.delete();
 						}
 					}
-					if (!virtual || !child.isSpirit()){ // leave the client attributes if spirited
+					if (!virtual){ // leave the client attributes if spirited
 						child.clear();
 					}
 					if (parent != null)