diff --git a/modules/tag/controllers/admin_tags.php b/modules/tag/controllers/admin_tags.php
index 6cd2f3373e..ed4a036663 100644
--- a/modules/tag/controllers/admin_tags.php
+++ b/modules/tag/controllers/admin_tags.php
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ public function delete($id) {
     $form = tag::get_delete_form($tag);
     if ($form->validate()) {
       $name = $tag->name;
-      Database::instance()->delete("items_tags", array("tag_id" => "$tag->id"));
+      db::build()->delete("items_tags")->where("tag_id", "=", $tag->id)->execute();
       $tag->delete();
       message::success(t("Deleted tag %tag_name", array("tag_name" => $name)));
       log::success("tags", t("Deleted tag %tag_name", array("tag_name" => $name)));
diff --git a/modules/tag/models/tag.php b/modules/tag/models/tag.php
index f9a453be79..b60f8dfc59 100644
--- a/modules/tag/models/tag.php
+++ b/modules/tag/models/tag.php
@@ -63,13 +63,21 @@ public function items_count($type=null) {
   public function save() {
     $db = Database::instance();
     $related_item_ids = array();
-    foreach ($db->getwhere("items_tags", array("tag_id" => $this->id)) as $row) {
+    foreach (db::build()
+             ->select("item_id")
+             ->from("items_tags")
+             ->where("tag_id", "=", $this->id)
+             ->execute() as $row) {
       $related_item_ids[$row->item_id] = 1;
     }
 
     $result = parent::save();
 
-    foreach ($db->getwhere("items_tags", array("tag_id" => $this->id)) as $row) {
+    foreach (db::build()
+             ->select("item_id")
+             ->from("items_tags")
+             ->where("tag_id", "=", $this->id)
+             ->execute() as $row) {
       $related_item_ids[$row->item_id] = 1;
     }
 
@@ -89,7 +97,12 @@ public function save() {
   public function delete() {
     $related_item_ids = array();
     $db = Database::Instance();
-    foreach ($db->getwhere("items_tags", array("tag_id" => $this->id)) as $row) {
+
+    foreach (db::build()
+             ->select("item_id")
+             ->from("items_tags")
+             ->where("tag_id", "=", $this->id)
+             ->execute() as $row) {
       $related_item_ids[$row->item_id] = 1;
     }