diff --git a/4chan_x.user.js b/4chan_x.user.js
index bc754d053..c33e9a5a9 100644
--- a/4chan_x.user.js
+++ b/4chan_x.user.js
@@ -2734,15 +2734,18 @@
       return $.add(a, img);
     },
     error: function(e) {
-      var thumb;
+      var req, thumb;
       thumb = this.previousSibling;
       imgExpand.contract(thumb);
-      if (!g.dead) {
-        return setTimeout(imgExpand.retry, 10000, thumb);
-      }
+      req = $.ajax(this.src, null, 'head');
+      return req.onreadystatechange = function(e) {
+        if (this.status !== 404) {
+          return setTimeout(imgExpand.retry, 10000, thumb);
+        }
+      };
     },
     retry: function(thumb) {
-      if (!(g.dead || thumb.hidden)) {
+      if (!thumb.hidden) {
         return imgExpand.expand(thumb);
       }
     },
diff --git a/script.coffee b/script.coffee
index 66b26cfae..fd975629e 100644
--- a/script.coffee
+++ b/script.coffee
@@ -2026,10 +2026,10 @@ imgExpand =
     thumb = @previousSibling
     imgExpand.contract thumb
     #navigator.online is not x-browser/os yet
-    #can't easily check if the image/post is deleted
-    setTimeout imgExpand.retry, 10000, thumb unless g.dead
+    req = $.ajax @src, null, 'head'
+    req.onreadystatechange = (e) -> setTimeout imgExpand.retry, 10000, thumb if @status isnt 404
   retry: (thumb) ->
-    imgExpand.expand thumb unless g.dead or thumb.hidden
+    imgExpand.expand thumb unless thumb.hidden
 
   dialog: ->
     controls = $.el 'div',