diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/base_model.py b/bookwyrm/models/base_model.py
index 06445a11d..d32ec67be 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/base_model.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/base_model.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 import base64
 from Crypto import Random
 
-from django.core.exceptions import PermissionDenied, FieldError
+from django.core.exceptions import PermissionDenied
 from django.db import models
 from django.db.models import Q
 from django.dispatch import receiver
@@ -120,12 +120,6 @@ class BookWyrmModel(models.Model):
                 p for p in privacy_levels if not p in ["followers", "direct"]
             ]
 
-        # if there's a deleted field, exclude deleted items
-        try:
-            queryset = queryset.filter(deleted=False)
-        except FieldError:
-            pass
-
         # exclude blocks from both directions
         if not viewer.is_anonymous:
             queryset = queryset.exclude(
diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/status.py b/bookwyrm/models/status.py
index 3e5f638f5..1325aa884 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/status.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/status.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ from django.apps import apps
 from django.core.exceptions import PermissionDenied
 from django.core.validators import MaxValueValidator, MinValueValidator
 from django.db import models
+from django.db.models import Q
 from django.dispatch import receiver
 from django.template.loader import get_template
 from django.utils import timezone
@@ -207,9 +208,14 @@ class Status(OrderedCollectionPageMixin, BookWyrmModel):
         if isinstance(self, (GeneratedNote, ReviewRating)):
             raise PermissionDenied()
 
+    @classmethod
+    def privacy_filter(cls, viewer, privacy_levels=None):
+        queryset = super().privacy_filter(viewer, privacy_levels=privacy_levels)
+        return queryset.filter(deleted=False)
+
     @classmethod
     def direct_filter(cls, queryset, viewer):
-        """Override-able filter for "direct" privacy level"""
+        """Overridden filter for "direct" privacy level"""
         return queryset.exclude(
             ~Q(Q(user=viewer) | Q(mention_users=viewer)), privacy="direct"
         )