Index: src/wp-admin/includes/post.php
===================================================================
--- src/wp-admin/includes/post.php	(revision 28116)
+++ src/wp-admin/includes/post.php	(working copy)
@@ -112,8 +112,9 @@
 		if ( ! in_array( $previous_status, $published_statuses ) || !current_user_can( 'edit_post', $post_id ) )
 			$post_data['post_status'] = 'pending';
 
-	if ( ! isset($post_data['post_status']) )
-		$post_data['post_status'] = $previous_status;
+	if ( ! isset( $post_data['post_status'] ) ) {
+		$post_data['post_status'] = 'auto-draft' === $previous_status ? 'draft' : $previous_status;
+	}
 
 	if ( isset( $post_data['post_password'] ) && ! current_user_can( $ptype->cap->publish_posts ) ) {
 		unset( $post_data['post_password'] );