diff --git a/services/containers/service.go b/services/containers/service.go
index 428de476d..c5322f874 100644
--- a/services/containers/service.go
+++ b/services/containers/service.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/metadata"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/plugin"
 	"github.com/golang/protobuf/ptypes/empty"
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"golang.org/x/net/context"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/codes"
@@ -160,6 +161,10 @@ func (s *Service) Delete(ctx context.Context, req *api.DeleteContainerRequest) (
 		return &empty.Empty{}, err
 	}
 
+	if err := s.db.GarbageCollect(ctx); err != nil {
+		return &empty.Empty{}, errdefs.ToGRPC(errors.Wrap(err, "garbage collection failed"))
+	}
+
 	return &empty.Empty{}, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/services/images/service.go b/services/images/service.go
index 6c5d3b685..fa8a00aae 100644
--- a/services/images/service.go
+++ b/services/images/service.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/metadata"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/plugin"
 	"github.com/golang/protobuf/ptypes/empty"
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"golang.org/x/net/context"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/codes"
@@ -161,6 +162,10 @@ func (s *Service) Delete(ctx context.Context, req *imagesapi.DeleteImageRequest)
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	if err := s.db.GarbageCollect(ctx); err != nil {
+		return nil, errdefs.ToGRPC(errors.Wrap(err, "garbage collection failed"))
+	}
+
 	return &empty.Empty{}, nil
 }