diff --git a/admin/batch_manager_global.php b/admin/batch_manager_global.php
index bc10761ae..51987ec3f 100644
--- a/admin/batch_manager_global.php
+++ b/admin/batch_manager_global.php
@@ -56,7 +56,15 @@ check_input_parameter('dissociate', $_POST, false, PATTERN_ID);
 // +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
 
 $collection = array();
-if (isset($_POST['setSelected']))
+if (isset($_POST['nb_photos_deleted']))
+{
+  check_input_parameter('nb_photos_deleted', $_POST, false, '/^\d+$/');
+
+  // let's fake a collection (we don't know the image_ids so we use "null", we only
+  // care about the number of items here)
+  $collection = array_fill(0, $_POST['nb_photos_deleted'], null);
+}
+else if (isset($_POST['setSelected']))
 {
   $collection = $page['cat_elements_id'];
 }
diff --git a/admin/themes/default/js/batchManagerGlobal.js b/admin/themes/default/js/batchManagerGlobal.js
index febfccb4f..50986a680 100644
--- a/admin/themes/default/js/batchManagerGlobal.js
+++ b/admin/themes/default/js/batchManagerGlobal.js
@@ -309,6 +309,10 @@ jQuery('#applyAction').click(function(e) {
 
     image_ids = Array();
   }
+
+  /* tell PHP how many photos were deleted */
+  jQuery('form').append('<input type="hidden" name="nb_photos_deleted" value="'+elements.length+'">');
+
   return false;
 });