diff --git a/lib/json_api_client/resource.rb b/lib/json_api_client/resource.rb
index cb176ca9..fd531f52 100644
--- a/lib/json_api_client/resource.rb
+++ b/lib/json_api_client/resource.rb
@@ -315,6 +315,7 @@ def _build_connection(rebuild = false)
     def initialize(params = {})
       params = params.symbolize_keys
       @persisted = nil
+      @destroyed = nil
       self.links = self.class.linker.new(params.delete(:links) || {})
       self.relationships = self.class.relationship_linker.new(self.class, params.delete(:relationships) || {})
       self.attributes = self.class.default_attributes.merge(params)
@@ -355,14 +356,26 @@ def mark_as_persisted!
     #
     # @return [Boolean]
     def persisted?
-      !!@persisted && has_attribute?(self.class.primary_key)
+      !!@persisted && !destroyed? && has_attribute?(self.class.primary_key)
+    end
+
+    # Mark the record as destroyed
+    def mark_as_destroyed!
+      @destroyed = true
+    end
+
+    # Whether or not this record has been destroyed to the database previously
+    #
+    # @return [Boolean]
+    def destroyed?
+      !!@destroyed
     end
 
     # Returns true if this is a new record (never persisted to the database)
     #
     # @return [Boolean]
     def new_record?
-      !persisted?
+      !persisted? && !destroyed?
     end
 
     # When we represent this resource as a relationship, we do so with id & type
@@ -449,8 +462,7 @@ def destroy
         fill_errors
         false
       else
-        self.attributes.clear
-        self.relationships.attributes.clear
+        mark_as_destroyed!
         self.relationships.last_result_set = nil
         _clear_cached_relationships
         true
diff --git a/test/unit/creation_test.rb b/test/unit/creation_test.rb
index b5e3f2d9..abcf78cd 100644
--- a/test/unit/creation_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/creation_test.rb
@@ -69,8 +69,10 @@ def test_can_create_with_new_record_and_save
                               title: "Rails is Omakase"
                           })
 
+    assert article.new_record?
     assert article.save
     assert article.persisted?
+    assert_equal(false, article.new_record?)
     assert_equal "1", article.id
   end
 
diff --git a/test/unit/destroying_test.rb b/test/unit/destroying_test.rb
index 5b2896aa..fc52d72f 100644
--- a/test/unit/destroying_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/destroying_test.rb
@@ -11,14 +11,29 @@ class CallbackTest < TestResource
   end
 
   def test_destroy
-    stub_request(:delete, "http://example.com/users/6")
+    stub_request(:get, "http://example.com/users/1")
+      .to_return(headers: {content_type: "application/vnd.api+json"}, body: {
+        data: [
+          {id: 1, attributes: {name: "Jeff Ching", email_address: "ching.jeff@gmail.com"}}
+        ]
+      }.to_json)
+
+    users = User.find(1)
+    user = users.first
+    assert(user.persisted?)
+    assert_equal(false, user.new_record?)
+    assert_equal(false, user.destroyed?)
+
+    stub_request(:delete, "http://example.com/users/1")
       .to_return(headers: {content_type: "application/vnd.api+json"}, body: {
         data: []
       }.to_json)
 
-    user = User.new(id: 6)
     assert(user.destroy, "successful deletion should return truish value")
     assert_equal(false, user.persisted?)
+    assert_equal(false, user.new_record?)
+    assert(user.destroyed?)
+    assert_equal(1, user.id)
   end
 
   def test_destroy_no_content