diff --git a/python/core/qgsvectorlayer.sip b/python/core/qgsvectorlayer.sip
index dd6ce23e7f3..0a603a55a42 100644
--- a/python/core/qgsvectorlayer.sip
+++ b/python/core/qgsvectorlayer.sip
@@ -244,13 +244,13 @@ existing rings, 5 no feature found where ring can be inserted*/
     \todo Need to indicate at which stage the failed commit occurred,
           for better cleanup and recovery from the error.
 
-    \param deleted  Set of attribute names (i.e. columns) to delete
+    \param deleted  Set of attribute indices (i.e. columns) to delete
     \param added    Map (name, type) of attribute names (i.e. columns) to add
     \param changed  Map (feature ID, Map (attribute name, new value) )
                       of attribute values to change
 
    */
-  bool commitAttributeChanges(const QSet<QString>& deleted,
+  bool commitAttributeChanges(const QSet<int>& deleted,
                               const QMap<QString, QString>& added,
                               const QMap<int, QMap<int, QVariant> >& changed);
 
diff --git a/src/app/qgsattributetable.cpp b/src/app/qgsattributetable.cpp
index 31813eee375..cadf849260d 100644
--- a/src/app/qgsattributetable.cpp
+++ b/src/app/qgsattributetable.cpp
@@ -412,10 +412,25 @@ bool QgsAttributeTable::commitChanges(QgsVectorLayer* layer)
 
   if(layer)
   {
-    isSuccessful = layer->commitAttributeChanges(
-                            mDeletedAttributes,
-                            mAddedAttributes,
-                            mChangedValues);
+    //convert strings of deleted attributes to ids
+
+    QgsVectorDataProvider* provider = layer->getDataProvider();
+
+    if(provider)
+      {
+
+	QgsAttributeIds deletedIds;
+	QSet<QString>::const_iterator it = mDeletedAttributes.constBegin();
+	
+	for(; it != mDeletedAttributes.constEnd(); ++it)
+	  {
+	    deletedIds.insert(provider->indexFromFieldName(*it));
+	  }
+	
+	isSuccessful = layer->commitAttributeChanges(deletedIds,
+						     mAddedAttributes,
+						     mChangedValues);
+      }
   }
 
   if (isSuccessful)
diff --git a/src/app/qgsattributetable.h b/src/app/qgsattributetable.h
index 200d9e3d6ac..a91acce4fd4 100644
--- a/src/app/qgsattributetable.h
+++ b/src/app/qgsattributetable.h
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ class QgsAttributeTable:public Q3Table
       and the value the attribute type*/
     QgsNewAttributesMap mAddedAttributes;
     /**Set containing the attribute names of deleted attributes*/
-    QgsDeletedAttributesSet mDeletedAttributes;
+    QSet<QString> mDeletedAttributes;
     /**Nested map containing the changed attribute values. The int is the feature id, 
       the first QString the attribute name and the second QString the new value*/
     QgsChangedAttributesMap mChangedValues;
diff --git a/src/core/qgsvectorlayer.cpp b/src/core/qgsvectorlayer.cpp
index 0663bc95adc..36b5e9e145a 100644
--- a/src/core/qgsvectorlayer.cpp
+++ b/src/core/qgsvectorlayer.cpp
@@ -2878,73 +2878,56 @@ void QgsVectorLayer::setCoordinateSystem()
 
 }
 
-bool QgsVectorLayer::commitAttributeChanges(const QgsDeletedAttributesSet& deleted,
+bool QgsVectorLayer::commitAttributeChanges(const QgsAttributeIds& deleted,
                             const QgsNewAttributesMap& added,
                             const QgsChangedAttributesMap& changed)
 {
   bool returnvalue=true;
-
-  if(mDataProvider)
-  {
-
-    QgsAttributeIds attIds;
-    QgsDeletedAttributesSet::const_iterator att_it = deleted.constBegin();
-
-    for(; att_it != deleted.constEnd(); ++att_it)
-      {
-	attIds.insert(mDataProvider->indexFromFieldName(*att_it));
-      }
-
-    if(mDataProvider->capabilities()&QgsVectorDataProvider::DeleteAttributes)
+  if(mDataProvider->capabilities()&QgsVectorDataProvider::DeleteAttributes)
     {
       //delete attributes in all not commited features
       for (QgsFeatureList::iterator iter = mAddedFeatures.begin(); iter != mAddedFeatures.end(); ++iter)
-      {
-        for (QgsAttributeIds::const_iterator it = attIds.begin(); it != attIds.end(); ++it)
-        {
-          (*iter).deleteAttribute(*it);
-        }
-      }
-
+	{
+	  for (QgsAttributeIds::const_iterator it = deleted.begin(); it != deleted.end(); ++it)
+	    {
+	      (*iter).deleteAttribute(*it);
+	    }
+	}
+      
       //and then in the provider
-      if(!mDataProvider->deleteAttributes(attIds))
-      {
-        returnvalue=false;
-      }
+      if(!mDataProvider->deleteAttributes(deleted))
+	{
+	  returnvalue=false;
+	}
     }
-
-    if(mDataProvider->capabilities()&QgsVectorDataProvider::AddAttributes)
+  
+  if(mDataProvider->capabilities()&QgsVectorDataProvider::AddAttributes)
     {
       //add attributes in all not commited features
       // TODO: is it necessary? [MD]
       /*for (QgsFeatureList::iterator iter = mAddedFeatures.begin(); iter != mAddedFeatures.end(); ++iter)
-      {
+	{
         for (QgsNewAttributesMap::const_iterator it = added.begin(); it != added.end(); ++it)
         {
-          (*iter).addAttribute(, QgsFeatureAttribute(it.key(), ""));
+	(*iter).addAttribute(, QgsFeatureAttribute(it.key(), ""));
         }
-    }*/
+	}*/
       
       //and then in the provider
       if(!mDataProvider->addAttributes(added))
-      {
-        returnvalue=false;
-      }
+	{
+	  returnvalue=false;
+	}
     }
-
-    if(mDataProvider->capabilities()&QgsVectorDataProvider::ChangeAttributeValues)
+  
+  if(mDataProvider->capabilities()&QgsVectorDataProvider::ChangeAttributeValues)
     {
       //and then those of the commited ones
       if(!mDataProvider->changeAttributeValues(changed))
-      {
-        returnvalue=false;
-      }
+	{
+	  returnvalue=false;
+	}
     }
-  }
-  else
-  {
-    returnvalue=false;
-  }
   return returnvalue;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/core/qgsvectorlayer.h b/src/core/qgsvectorlayer.h
index b1647507362..61c9fd8e51b 100644
--- a/src/core/qgsvectorlayer.h
+++ b/src/core/qgsvectorlayer.h
@@ -56,8 +56,6 @@ typedef QSet<int> QgsAttributeIds;
 // key = attribute name, value = attribute type
 typedef QMap<QString, QString> QgsNewAttributesMap;
 
-typedef QSet<QString> QgsDeletedAttributesSet;
-
 typedef QMap<int, QgsField> QgsFieldMap;
 
 
@@ -310,13 +308,13 @@ existing rings, 5 no feature found where ring can be inserted*/
     \todo Need to indicate at which stage the failed commit occurred,
           for better cleanup and recovery from the error.
 
-    \param deleted  Set of attribute names (i.e. columns) to delete
+    \param deleted  Set of attribute indices (i.e. columns) to delete
     \param added    Map (name, type) of attribute names (i.e. columns) to add
     \param changed  Map (feature ID, Map (attribute name, new value) )
                       of attribute values to change
 
    */
-  bool commitAttributeChanges(const QgsDeletedAttributesSet& deleted,
+  bool commitAttributeChanges(const QgsAttributeIds& deleted,
                               const QgsNewAttributesMap& added,
                               const QgsChangedAttributesMap& changed);