diff --git a/src/main/java/org/commcare/cases/instance/StorageBackedChildElement.java b/src/main/java/org/commcare/cases/instance/StorageBackedChildElement.java
index cfdec35a5..738671c7a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/commcare/cases/instance/StorageBackedChildElement.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/commcare/cases/instance/StorageBackedChildElement.java
@@ -200,6 +200,7 @@ public TreeReference getRef() {
 
     @Override
     public void clearVolatiles() {
+        // we should also clear the other cache implementation in this class in future
         ref = null;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/javarosa/core/model/FormDef.java b/src/main/java/org/javarosa/core/model/FormDef.java
index 8d1604f8c..30b86e31b 100755
--- a/src/main/java/org/javarosa/core/model/FormDef.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/javarosa/core/model/FormDef.java
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ public FormIndex deleteRepeat(FormIndex index) {
 
         reduceTreeSiblingMultiplicities(parentElement, deleteElement);
 
-        this.getMainInstance().cleanCache(parentElement);
+        this.getMainInstance().cleanCache();
 
         triggerTriggerables(deleteRef);
         return newIndex;
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/javarosa/core/model/instance/ConcreteTreeElement.java b/src/main/java/org/javarosa/core/model/instance/ConcreteTreeElement.java
index 9687f6fc0..4acd848a8 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/javarosa/core/model/instance/ConcreteTreeElement.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/javarosa/core/model/instance/ConcreteTreeElement.java
@@ -340,6 +340,16 @@ public TreeReference getRef() {
     @Override
     public void clearVolatiles() {
         refCache = null;
+        if (children != null) {
+            for (T child : children) {
+                child.clearVolatiles();
+            }
+        }
+        if (attributes != null) {
+            for (T attribute : attributes) {
+                attribute.clearVolatiles();
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/javarosa/core/model/instance/DataInstance.java b/src/main/java/org/javarosa/core/model/instance/DataInstance.java
index b61a8b236..724f2e7cd 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/javarosa/core/model/instance/DataInstance.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/javarosa/core/model/instance/DataInstance.java
@@ -289,30 +289,11 @@ public void setCacheHost(CacheHost cacheHost) {
         this.mCacheHost = cacheHost;
     }
 
-    public void cleanCache() {
-        cleanCache(getBase());
-    }
-
     /**
      * Cleans reference caches maintained by the instance and TreeElements contained in the contextNode
-     * @param contextNode Parent node inside the scope of which we clear the TreeElement volatiles
      */
-    public void cleanCache(AbstractTreeElement<T> contextNode) {
+    public void cleanCache() {
         referenceCache.clear();
-        cleanTreeElementCache(contextNode);
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Loops through the node and it's children and clears their volatiles
-     * @param contextNode Parent node inside the scope of which we clear the TreeElement volatiles
-     */
-    private void cleanTreeElementCache(AbstractTreeElement<T> contextNode) {
-        if (contextNode == null) {
-            return;
-        }
-        contextNode.clearVolatiles();
-        for (int i = 0; i < contextNode.getNumChildren(); i++) {
-            cleanTreeElementCache(contextNode.getChildAt(i));
-        }
+        getBase().clearVolatiles();
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/javarosa/core/model/instance/InstanceBase.java b/src/main/java/org/javarosa/core/model/instance/InstanceBase.java
index 1cf7cdcf7..c24e042d9 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/javarosa/core/model/instance/InstanceBase.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/javarosa/core/model/instance/InstanceBase.java
@@ -143,7 +143,9 @@ public TreeReference getRef() {
 
     @Override
     public void clearVolatiles() {
-        // nothing to clear
+        if (child != null) {
+            child.clearVolatiles();
+        }
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/javarosa/core/model/instance/TreeElement.java b/src/main/java/org/javarosa/core/model/instance/TreeElement.java
index 420fefab0..11c777119 100755
--- a/src/main/java/org/javarosa/core/model/instance/TreeElement.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/javarosa/core/model/instance/TreeElement.java
@@ -856,6 +856,16 @@ public String getNamespace() {
     @Override
     public void clearVolatiles() {
         refCache[0] = null;
+        if (children != null) {
+            for (TreeElement child : children) {
+                child.clearVolatiles();
+            }
+        }
+        if (attributes != null) {
+            for (TreeElement attribute : attributes) {
+                attribute.clearVolatiles();
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     public void setNamespace(String namespace) {