diff --git a/lib/client/doc.js b/lib/client/doc.js
index 05e17976d..d75e83085 100644
--- a/lib/client/doc.js
+++ b/lib/client/doc.js
@@ -104,11 +104,20 @@ emitter.mixin(Doc);
 Doc.prototype.destroy = function(callback) {
   var doc = this;
   doc.whenNothingPending(function() {
-    doc.connection._destroyDoc(doc);
     if (doc.wantSubscribe) {
-      return doc.unsubscribe(callback);
+      doc.unsubscribe(function(err) {
+        if (err) {
+          if (callback) callback(err);
+          else this.emit('error', err);
+          return;
+        }
+        doc.connection._destroyDoc(doc);
+        if (callback) callback();
+      });
+    } else {
+      doc.connection._destroyDoc(doc);
+      if (callback) callback();
     }
-    if (callback) callback();
   });
 };
 
diff --git a/test/client/subscribe.js b/test/client/subscribe.js
index 567031d0a..b24a94749 100644
--- a/test/client/subscribe.js
+++ b/test/client/subscribe.js
@@ -405,23 +405,37 @@ describe('client subscribe', function() {
   });
 
   it('doc destroy stops op updates', function(done) {
-    var doc = this.backend.connect().get('dogs', 'fido');
-    var doc2 = this.backend.connect().get('dogs', 'fido');
+    var connection1 = this.backend.connect();
+    var connection2 = this.backend.connect();
+    var doc = connection1.get('dogs', 'fido');
+    var doc2 = connection2.get('dogs', 'fido');
     doc.create({age: 3}, function(err) {
       if (err) return done(err);
       doc2.subscribe(function(err) {
         if (err) return done(err);
         doc2.on('op', function(op, context) {
-          done();
+          done(new Error('Should not get op event'));
         });
         doc2.destroy(function(err) {
           if (err) return done(err);
+          expect(connection2.getExisting('dogs', 'fido')).equal(undefined);
           doc.submitOp({p: ['age'], na: 1}, done);
         });
       });
     });
   });
 
+  it('doc destroy removes doc from connection when doc is not subscribed', function(done) {
+    var connection = this.backend.connect();
+    var doc = connection.get('dogs', 'fido');
+    expect(connection.getExisting('dogs', 'fido')).equal(doc);
+    doc.destroy(function(err) {
+      if (err) return done(err);
+      expect(connection.getExisting('dogs', 'fido')).equal(undefined);
+      done();
+    });
+  });
+
   it('bulk unsubscribe stops op updates', function(done) {
     var connection = this.backend.connect();
     var connection2 = this.backend.connect();