diff --git a/models/migrations/migrations.go b/models/migrations/migrations.go
index 7c5277fbbde46..8717da789eab5 100644
--- a/models/migrations/migrations.go
+++ b/models/migrations/migrations.go
@@ -246,6 +246,8 @@ var migrations = []Migration{
 	NewMigration("add enable_status_check, status_check_contexts to protected_branch", addStatusCheckColumnsForProtectedBranches),
 	// v95 -> v96
 	NewMigration("add table columns for cross referencing issues", addCrossReferenceColumns),
+	// v96 -> v97
+	NewMigration("delete orphaned attachments", deleteOrphanedAttachments),
 }
 
 // Migrate database to current version
diff --git a/models/migrations/v80.go b/models/migrations/v80.go
index 8cd2ac80a8c4d..d9040da6018ae 100644
--- a/models/migrations/v80.go
+++ b/models/migrations/v80.go
@@ -14,5 +14,4 @@ func addIsLockedToIssues(x *xorm.Engine) error {
 	}
 
 	return x.Sync2(new(Issue))
-
 }
diff --git a/models/migrations/v96.go b/models/migrations/v96.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..5c2135ffc6ad4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/models/migrations/v96.go
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+// Copyright 2019 The Gitea Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Use of this source code is governed by a MIT-style
+// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+
+package migrations
+
+import (
+	"os"
+
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/models"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/setting"
+
+	"github.com/go-xorm/xorm"
+)
+
+func deleteOrphanedAttachments(x *xorm.Engine) error {
+
+	type Attachment struct {
+		ID        int64  `xorm:"pk autoincr"`
+		UUID      string `xorm:"uuid UNIQUE"`
+		IssueID   int64  `xorm:"INDEX"`
+		ReleaseID int64  `xorm:"INDEX"`
+		CommentID int64
+	}
+
+	sess := x.NewSession()
+	defer sess.Close()
+
+	err := sess.BufferSize(setting.Database.IterateBufferSize).
+		Where("`comment_id` = 0 and (`release_id` = 0 or `release_id` not in (select `id` from `release`))").Cols("uuid").
+		Iterate(new(Attachment),
+			func(idx int, bean interface{}) error {
+				attachment := bean.(*Attachment)
+
+				if err := os.RemoveAll(models.AttachmentLocalPath(attachment.UUID)); err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+
+				_, err := sess.ID(attachment.ID).NoAutoCondition().Delete(attachment)
+				return err
+			})
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return sess.Commit()
+}
diff --git a/models/release.go b/models/release.go
index dde6c17ea841e..85a758becfc8d 100644
--- a/models/release.go
+++ b/models/release.go
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 // Copyright 2014 The Gogs Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright 2019 The Gitea Authors. All rights reserved.
 // Use of this source code is governed by a MIT-style
 // license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
 
@@ -6,6 +7,7 @@ package models
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"os"
 	"sort"
 	"strings"
 
@@ -357,6 +359,17 @@ func DeleteReleaseByID(id int64, doer *User, delTag bool) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("LoadAttributes: %v", err)
 	}
 
+	if _, err := x.Delete(&Attachment{ReleaseID: id}); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	for i := range rel.Attachments {
+		attachment := rel.Attachments[i]
+		if err := os.RemoveAll(attachment.LocalPath()); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
 	mode, _ := AccessLevel(doer, rel.Repo)
 	if err := PrepareWebhooks(rel.Repo, HookEventRelease, &api.ReleasePayload{
 		Action:     api.HookReleaseDeleted,