diff --git a/src/server/bg_services/buckets_reclaimer.js b/src/server/bg_services/buckets_reclaimer.js
index 484a4e5d16..51d8b99db9 100644
--- a/src/server/bg_services/buckets_reclaimer.js
+++ b/src/server/bg_services/buckets_reclaimer.js
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ class BucketsReclaimer {
         }
 
         let has_errors = false;
+        this._reset_delete_lists();
         dbg.log0('bucket_reclaimer: starting batch work on buckets: ', deleting_buckets.map(b => b.name).join(', '));
         await P.all(deleting_buckets.map(async bucket => {
             try {
@@ -43,13 +44,7 @@ class BucketsReclaimer {
                 });
                 if (is_empty) {
                     dbg.log0(`bucket ${bucket.name} is empty. calling delete_bucket`);
-                    await this.client.bucket.delete_bucket({ name: bucket.name, internal_call: true }, {
-                        auth_token: auth_server.make_auth_token({
-                            system_id: system._id,
-                            account_id: system.owner._id,
-                            role: 'admin'
-                        })
-                    });
+                    this._add_bucket_to_delete_lists(bucket);
                 } else {
                     dbg.log0(`bucket ${bucket.name} is not empty yet`);
                 }
@@ -58,6 +53,26 @@ class BucketsReclaimer {
                 has_errors = true;
             }
         }));
+        if (this.buckets_to_delete.length > 0) {
+            const changes = {
+                remove: {
+                    buckets: this.buckets_to_delete,
+                    tieringpolicies: this.tiering_to_delete,
+                    tiers: this.tiers_to_delete,
+                },
+            };
+            if (this.account_updates.length > 0) {
+                changes.update = {
+                    accounts: this.account_updates,
+                };
+            }
+            try {
+                await system_store.make_changes(changes);
+            } catch (err) {
+                dbg.error(`got error when trying to update DB :`, err);
+                has_errors = true;
+            }
+        }
 
         if (has_errors) {
             return config.BUCKET_RECLAIMER_ERROR_DELAY;
@@ -83,6 +98,30 @@ class BucketsReclaimer {
         return system_store.data.buckets.filter(bucket => Boolean(bucket.deleting));
     }
 
+    _add_bucket_to_delete_lists(bucket) {
+        this.buckets_to_delete.push(bucket._id);
+        const tiering_policy = bucket.tiering;
+        this.tiering_to_delete.push(tiering_policy._id);
+        this.tiers_to_delete.push(...tiering_policy.tiers.map(t => t.tier._id));
+        system_store.data.accounts.forEach(account => {
+            if (!account.allowed_buckets || (account.allowed_buckets && account.allowed_buckets.full_permission)) return;
+            if (!account.allowed_buckets.permission_list.includes(bucket)) return;
+            this.account_updates.push({
+                _id: account._id,
+                $pullAll: {
+                    'allowed_buckets.permission_list': [bucket._id]
+                }
+            });
+        });
+    }
+
+    _reset_delete_lists() {
+        this.buckets_to_delete = [];
+        this.tiering_to_delete = [];
+        this.tiers_to_delete = [];
+        this.account_updates = [];
+    }
+
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/server/system_services/system_store.js b/src/server/system_services/system_store.js
index 4fc1d104c8..85a067d663 100644
--- a/src/server/system_services/system_store.js
+++ b/src/server/system_services/system_store.js
@@ -728,8 +728,10 @@ class SystemStore extends EventEmitter {
                 data.check_indexes(col, item);
                 let dont_change_last_update = Boolean(item.dont_change_last_update);
                 let updates = _.omit(item, '_id', '$find', 'dont_change_last_update');
-                let finds = item.$find || _.pick(item, '_id');
+                let find_id = _.pick(item, '_id');
+                let finds = item.$find || (mongo_utils.is_object_id(find_id._id) && find_id);
                 if (_.isEmpty(updates)) return;
+                if (!finds) throw new Error(`SystemStore: make_changes id is not of type object_id: ${find_id._id}`);
                 let keys = _.keys(updates);
 
                 if (_.first(keys)[0] === '$') {
@@ -768,6 +770,7 @@ class SystemStore extends EventEmitter {
         _.each(changes.remove, (list, name) => {
             get_collection(name);
             _.each(list, id => {
+                if (!mongo_utils.is_object_id(id)) throw new Error(`SystemStore: make_changes id is not of type object_id: ${id}`);
                 any_news = true;
                 get_bulk(name)
                     .find({
@@ -785,6 +788,7 @@ class SystemStore extends EventEmitter {
         _.each(changes.db_delete, (list, name) => {
             get_collection(name);
             _.each(list, id => {
+                if (!mongo_utils.is_object_id(id)) throw new Error(`SystemStore: make_changes id is not of type object_id: ${id}`);
                 get_bulk(name)
                     .find({
                         _id: id,