diff --git a/onadata/apps/api/tests/viewsets/test_attachment_viewset.py b/onadata/apps/api/tests/viewsets/test_attachment_viewset.py
index 9bd021c498..60fa2c8ffa 100644
--- a/onadata/apps/api/tests/viewsets/test_attachment_viewset.py
+++ b/onadata/apps/api/tests/viewsets/test_attachment_viewset.py
@@ -230,7 +230,6 @@ def test_list_view_surfaces_current_attachment(self):
 
         # test when the attachment is soft deleted
         self.attachment.soft_delete(user=self.user)
-        self.attachment.save()
 
         request = self.factory.get('/', **self.extra)
         response = self.list_view(request)
@@ -246,7 +245,7 @@ def test_soft_delete_action_returns_correct_user(self):
 
         # test when the attachment is soft deleted
         self.attachment.soft_delete(user=self.user)
-        self.attachment.save()
+
         # Test that deleted_by field captures the right user
         self.assertTrue(self.attachment.deleted_by, self.user)
 
diff --git a/onadata/apps/api/viewsets/attachment_viewset.py b/onadata/apps/api/viewsets/attachment_viewset.py
index 3cc9ac05ee..af38671c40 100644
--- a/onadata/apps/api/viewsets/attachment_viewset.py
+++ b/onadata/apps/api/viewsets/attachment_viewset.py
@@ -47,7 +47,8 @@ class AttachmentViewSet(AuthenticateHeaderMixin, CacheControlMixin, ETagsMixin,
     content_negotiation_class = MediaFileContentNegotiation
     filter_backends = (filters.AttachmentFilter, filters.AttachmentTypeFilter)
     lookup_field = 'pk'
-    queryset = Attachment.objects.filter(instance__deleted_at__isnull=True)
+    queryset = Attachment.objects.filter(
+        instance__deleted_at__isnull=True, deleted_at__isnull=True)
     permission_classes = (AttachmentObjectPermissions,)
     serializer_class = AttachmentSerializer
     pagination_class = StandardPageNumberPagination
@@ -100,9 +101,7 @@ def list(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
                 if not xform.shared_data:
                     raise Http404(_("Not Found"))
 
-        request_data = self.filter_queryset(self.get_queryset())
-        self.object_list = self.object_list = [
-            a for a in request_data if a.deleted_at is None]
+        self.object_list = self.filter_queryset(self.get_queryset())
         page = self.paginate_queryset(self.object_list)
         if page is not None:
             serializer = self.get_serializer(page, many=True)