diff --git a/usr/bin/spoc-image b/usr/bin/spoc-image
index aae279a..66785d5 100755
--- a/usr/bin/spoc-image
+++ b/usr/bin/spoc-image
@@ -50,32 +50,25 @@ def delete(image_name):
     used_by = [c for c,d in repo_local.get_containers().items() if image_name in d['layers']]
     if used_by:
         sys.exit(f'Error: Image {image_name} is used by container{"s" if len(used_by) > 1 else ""} {", ".join(used_by)}')
-    used_images = set()
-    for definition in repo_local.get_containers().values():
-        used_images.update(definition['layers'])
-    # Build dependency tree to safely remove the images in order of dependency
-    depsolver = DepSolver()
-    for image,definition in repo_local.get_images().items():
-        if image_name in definition['layers']:
-            image = Image(image)
-            depsolver.add(image.name, set(image.layers) - used_images, image)
-    # Enqueue and run the removal actions
-    queue = ActionQueue()
-    for image in reversed(depsolver.solve()):
-        queue.delete_image(image)
-    queue.process()
+    # Gather layers inheriting from the layer to be removed which should be removed as well
+    retained_layers = set(image for image,definition in repo_local.get_images().items() if image_name not in definition['layers'])
+    remove_layers(retained_layers)
 
 @locked(LOCK_FILE, print_lock)
 def clean():
     # Remove images which aren't used in any locally defined containers
-    used_images = set()
+    retained_layers = set()
     for definition in repo_local.get_containers().values():
-        used_images.update(definition['layers'])
-    # Build dependency tree to safely remove the images in order of dependency
+        retained_layers.update(definition['layers'])
+    remove_layers(retained_layers)
+
+def remove_layers(retained_layers):
+    # Enqueue removal of images for cleanup
     depsolver = DepSolver()
-    for image in set(repo_local.get_images()) - used_images:
+    # Build dependency tree to safely remove the images in order of dependency
+    for image in set(repo_local.get_images()) - retained_layers:
         image = Image(image)
-        depsolver.add(image.name, set(image.layers) - used_images, image)
+        depsolver.add(image.name, set(image.layers) - retained_layers, image)
     # Enqueue and run the removal actions
     queue = ActionQueue()
     for image in reversed(depsolver.solve()):