diff --git a/src/Messages/TSGroupModel.h b/src/Messages/TSGroupModel.h
index b0723318a..fdbeb3d5a 100644
--- a/src/Messages/TSGroupModel.h
+++ b/src/Messages/TSGroupModel.h
@@ -1,13 +1,11 @@
 //  Created by Frederic Jacobs.
 //  Copyright (c) 2014 Open Whisper Systems. All rights reserved.
 
-#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>
 #import "TSYapDatabaseObject.h"
 
 @interface TSGroupModel : TSYapDatabaseObject
 
 @property (nonatomic, strong) NSMutableArray *groupMemberIds;
-@property (nonatomic, strong) NSString *associatedAttachmentId;
 @property (nonatomic, strong) NSString *groupName;
 @property (nonatomic, strong) NSData *groupId;
 
@@ -17,8 +15,7 @@
 - (instancetype)initWithTitle:(NSString *)title
                     memberIds:(NSMutableArray *)memberIds
                         image:(UIImage *)image
-                      groupId:(NSData *)groupId
-       associatedAttachmentId:(NSString *)attachmentId;
+                      groupId:(NSData *)groupId;
 
 - (BOOL)isEqual:(id)other;
 - (BOOL)isEqualToGroupModel:(TSGroupModel *)model;
diff --git a/src/Messages/TSGroupModel.m b/src/Messages/TSGroupModel.m
index 3a2f6f93b..fc6cbf76c 100644
--- a/src/Messages/TSGroupModel.m
+++ b/src/Messages/TSGroupModel.m
@@ -3,8 +3,6 @@
 
 #import "TSGroupModel.h"
 
-NSString *const TSAttachementGroupAvatarFileRelationshipEdge = @"TSAttachementGroupAvatarFileEdge";
-
 @implementation TSGroupModel
 
 #if TARGET_OS_IOS
@@ -12,11 +10,10 @@ NSString *const TSAttachementGroupAvatarFileRelationshipEdge = @"TSAttachementGr
                     memberIds:(NSMutableArray *)memberIds
                         image:(UIImage *)image
                       groupId:(NSData *)groupId
-       associatedAttachmentId:(NSString *)attachmentId {
+{
     _groupName              = title;
     _groupMemberIds         = [memberIds copy];
-    _groupImage             = image;
-    _associatedAttachmentId = attachmentId;
+    _groupImage = image; // image is stored in DB
     _groupId                = groupId;
 
     return self;
diff --git a/src/Messages/TSMessagesManager+attachments.m b/src/Messages/TSMessagesManager+attachments.m
index 539b091a2..436afe416 100644
--- a/src/Messages/TSMessagesManager+attachments.m
+++ b/src/Messages/TSMessagesManager+attachments.m
@@ -228,7 +228,8 @@ dispatch_queue_t attachmentsQueue() {
 
 - (void)decryptedAndSaveAttachment:(TSAttachmentPointer *)attachment
                               data:(NSData *)cipherText
-                         messageId:(NSString *)messageId {
+                         messageId:(NSString *)messageId
+{
     NSData *plaintext = [Cryptography decryptAttachment:cipherText withKey:attachment.encryptionKey];
 
     if (!plaintext) {
@@ -242,17 +243,15 @@ dispatch_queue_t attachmentsQueue() {
         [self.dbConnection readWriteWithBlock:^(YapDatabaseReadWriteTransaction *transaction) {
           [stream saveWithTransaction:transaction];
           if ([attachment.avatarOfGroupId length] != 0) {
-              TSGroupModel *emptyModelToFillOutId = [[TSGroupModel alloc]
-                           initWithTitle:nil
-                               memberIds:nil
-                                   image:nil
-                                 groupId:attachment.avatarOfGroupId
-                  associatedAttachmentId:attachment.uniqueId]; // TODO refactor the TSGroupThread to just take in an ID
-                                                               // (as it is all that it uses). Should not take in more
-                                                               // than it uses
+              TSGroupModel *emptyModelToFillOutId =
+                  [[TSGroupModel alloc] initWithTitle:nil memberIds:nil image:nil groupId:attachment.avatarOfGroupId];
               TSGroupThread *gThread =
                   [TSGroupThread getOrCreateThreadWithGroupModel:emptyModelToFillOutId transaction:transaction];
+
               gThread.groupModel.groupImage = [stream image];
+              // No need to keep the attachment around after assigning the image.
+              [stream removeWithTransaction:transaction];
+
               [gThread saveWithTransaction:transaction];
           } else {
               // Causing message to be reloaded in view.
diff --git a/src/Messages/TSMessagesManager.m b/src/Messages/TSMessagesManager.m
index 7a3718871..15c75dc81 100644
--- a/src/Messages/TSMessagesManager.m
+++ b/src/Messages/TSMessagesManager.m
@@ -158,23 +158,17 @@
     }
 }
 
-- (void)handleIncomingMessage:(IncomingPushMessageSignal *)incomingMessage
-              withPushContent:(PushMessageContent *)content {
+- (void)handleIncomingMessage:(IncomingPushMessageSignal *)incomingMessage withPushContent:(PushMessageContent *)content
+{
     if (content.hasGroup) {
         __block BOOL ignoreMessage = NO;
         [self.dbConnection readWithBlock:^(YapDatabaseReadTransaction *transaction) {
-          TSGroupModel *emptyModelToFillOutId =
-              [[TSGroupModel alloc] initWithTitle:nil
-                                        memberIds:nil
-                                            image:nil
-                                          groupId:content.group.id
-                           associatedAttachmentId:nil]; // TODO refactor the TSGroupThread to
-                                                        // just take in an ID (as it
-          // is all that it uses). Should not take in more than it uses
-          TSGroupThread *gThread = [TSGroupThread threadWithGroupModel:emptyModelToFillOutId transaction:transaction];
-          if (gThread == nil && content.group.type != PushMessageContentGroupContextTypeUpdate) {
-              ignoreMessage = YES;
-          }
+            TSGroupModel *emptyModelToFillOutId =
+                [[TSGroupModel alloc] initWithTitle:nil memberIds:nil image:nil groupId:content.group.id];
+            TSGroupThread *gThread = [TSGroupThread threadWithGroupModel:emptyModelToFillOutId transaction:transaction];
+            if (gThread == nil && content.group.type != PushMessageContentGroupContextTypeUpdate) {
+                ignoreMessage = YES;
+            }
         }];
         if (ignoreMessage) {
             DDLogDebug(@"Received message from group that I left or don't know "
@@ -254,8 +248,7 @@
               [[TSGroupModel alloc] initWithTitle:content.group.name
                                         memberIds:[[[NSSet setWithArray:content.group.members] allObjects] mutableCopy]
                                             image:nil
-                                          groupId:content.group.id
-                           associatedAttachmentId:nil];
+                                          groupId:content.group.id];
           TSGroupThread *gThread = [TSGroupThread getOrCreateThreadWithGroupModel:model transaction:transaction];
           [gThread saveWithTransaction:transaction];
 
@@ -266,8 +259,9 @@
                   if ([avatar isKindOfClass:[TSAttachmentStream class]]) {
                       TSAttachmentStream *stream = (TSAttachmentStream *)avatar;
                       if ([stream isImage]) {
-                          model.associatedAttachmentId = stream.uniqueId;
-                          model.groupImage             = [stream image];
+                          model.groupImage = [stream image];
+                          // No need to keep the attachment around after assigning the image.
+                          [stream removeWithTransaction:transaction];
                       }
                   }
               }
diff --git a/tests/Storage/TSMessageStorageTests.m b/tests/Storage/TSMessageStorageTests.m
index 3ea3358e0..0613b2b4b 100644
--- a/tests/Storage/TSMessageStorageTests.m
+++ b/tests/Storage/TSMessageStorageTests.m
@@ -159,13 +159,17 @@
 
     __block TSGroupThread *thread;
     [[TSStorageManager sharedManager].dbConnection readWriteWithBlock:^(YapDatabaseReadWriteTransaction *transaction) {
-        thread = [TSGroupThread getOrCreateThreadWithGroupModel:[[TSGroupModel alloc] initWithTitle:@"fdsfsd" memberIds:[@[] mutableCopy] image:nil groupId:[NSData data] associatedAttachmentId:pointer.uniqueId] transaction:transaction];
-        
+        thread = [TSGroupThread getOrCreateThreadWithGroupModel:[[TSGroupModel alloc] initWithTitle:@"fdsfsd"
+                                                                                          memberIds:[@[] mutableCopy]
+                                                                                              image:nil
+                                                                                            groupId:[NSData data]]
+                                                    transaction:transaction];
+
         [thread saveWithTransaction:transaction];
         [pointer saveWithTransaction:transaction];
 
     }];
-    
+
     TSStorageManager *manager         = [TSStorageManager sharedManager];
     [manager purgeCollection:[TSMessage collection]];