diff --git src/wp-admin/js/widgets/media-widgets.js src/wp-admin/js/widgets/media-widgets.js
index c4f23e1cda..983d1f7cae 100644
--- src/wp-admin/js/widgets/media-widgets.js
+++ src/wp-admin/js/widgets/media-widgets.js
@@ -708,11 +708,17 @@ wp.mediaWidgets = ( function( $ ) {
 				control.model.set( control.getModelPropsFromMediaFrame( mediaFrame ) );
 			});
 
-			// Disable syncing of attachment changes back to server. See <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/40403>.
+			// Disable syncing of attachment changes back to server (except for deletions). See <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/40403>.
 			defaultSync = wp.media.model.Attachment.prototype.sync;
-			wp.media.model.Attachment.prototype.sync = function rejectedSync() {
-				return $.Deferred().rejectWith( this ).promise();
-			};
+			wp.media.model.Attachment.prototype.sync = (function( prevSync ) {
+				return function( method, model, options ) {
+					if ( 'delete' === method ) {
+						return prevSync.call( this, method, model, options );
+					} else {
+						return $.Deferred().rejectWith( this ).promise();
+					}
+				};
+			})( wp.media.model.Attachment.prototype.sync );
 			mediaFrame.on( 'close', function onClose() {
 				wp.media.model.Attachment.prototype.sync = defaultSync;
 			});