diff --git a/lib/remote_storage/riak.rb b/lib/remote_storage/riak.rb
index 5b1e450..edaa5aa 100644
--- a/lib/remote_storage/riak.rb
+++ b/lib/remote_storage/riak.rb
@@ -83,7 +83,8 @@ module RemoteStorage
     def delete_data(user, directory, key)
       riak_response = data_bucket.delete("#{user}:#{directory}:#{key}")
 
-      delete_empty_directory_objects(user, directory)
+      timestamp = Time.now.to_i
+      delete_or_update_directory_objects(user, directory, timestamp)
 
       halt riak_response[:code]
     rescue ::Riak::HTTPFailedRequest
@@ -200,7 +201,7 @@ module RemoteStorage
       directory_object.store
     end
 
-    def delete_empty_directory_objects(user, directory)
+    def delete_or_update_directory_objects(user, directory, timestamp)
       parent_directories = directory.split("/")
 
       while parent_directories.any?
@@ -211,6 +212,8 @@ module RemoteStorage
 
         if existing_files.empty? && existing_subdirectories.empty?
           directory_bucket.delete "#{user}:#{parent_directory}"
+        else
+          update_directory_object(user, parent_directory, timestamp)
         end
 
         parent_directories.pop
@@ -218,6 +221,8 @@ module RemoteStorage
 
       if directory_entries(user, "").empty? && sub_directories(user, "").empty?
         directory_bucket.delete "#{user}:"
+      else
+        update_directory_object(user, "", timestamp)
       end
     end
 
diff --git a/spec/directories_spec.rb b/spec/directories_spec.rb
index 4254604..c908f12 100644
--- a/spec/directories_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/directories_spec.rb
@@ -276,6 +276,26 @@ describe "Directories" do
         directory_bucket.get("jimmy:tasks").wont_be_nil
         directory_bucket.get("jimmy:").wont_be_nil
       end
+
+      describe "timestamps" do
+        before do
+          @old_timestamp = 2.seconds.ago.to_i
+
+          ["tasks/home", "tasks", ""].each do |dir|
+            directory = directory_bucket.get("jimmy:#{dir}")
+            directory.data = @old_timestamp.to_s
+            directory.store
+          end
+        end
+
+        it "updates the timestamp for the parent directories" do
+          delete "/jimmy/tasks/home/trash"
+
+          directory_bucket.get("jimmy:tasks/home").data.to_i.must_be :>, @old_timestamp
+          directory_bucket.get("jimmy:tasks").data.to_i.must_be :>, @old_timestamp
+          directory_bucket.get("jimmy:").data.to_i.must_be :>, @old_timestamp
+        end
+      end
     end
   end