diff --git a/app/controllers/student_teams_controller.rb b/app/controllers/student_teams_controller.rb
index ab53c5b3a6e..ac6e5688f79 100644
--- a/app/controllers/student_teams_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/student_teams_controller.rb
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ def remove_participant
     # if your old team does not have any members, delete the entry for the team
     if TeamsUser.where(team_id: params[:team_id]).empty?
       old_team = AssignmentTeam.find params[:team_id]
-      if old_team && !old_team.received_any_peer_review?
+      if (old_team && Team.size(params[:team_id]) == 0 && !old_team.received_any_peer_review?)
         old_team.destroy
         # if assignment has signup sheet then the topic selected by the team has to go back to the pool
         # or to the first team in the waitlist