diff --git a/lib/metadata/mirror.c b/lib/metadata/mirror.c
index 793a68b5c..791ed20df 100644
--- a/lib/metadata/mirror.c
+++ b/lib/metadata/mirror.c
@@ -779,7 +779,7 @@ static int _remove_mirror_images(struct logical_volume *lv,
 				 int (*is_removable)(struct logical_volume *, void *),
 				 void *removable_baton,
 				 unsigned remove_log, unsigned collapse,
-				 uint32_t *removed)
+				 uint32_t *removed, int preferred_only)
 {
 	uint32_t m;
 	int32_t s;
@@ -791,12 +791,13 @@ static int _remove_mirror_images(struct logical_volume *lv,
 	uint32_t new_area_count = mirrored_seg->area_count;
 	struct lv_list *lvl;
 	struct dm_list tmp_orphan_lvs;
+	int orig_removed = num_removed;
 
 	if (removed)
 		*removed = 0;
 
-	log_very_verbose("Reducing mirror set from %" PRIu32 " to %"
-			 PRIu32 " image(s)%s.",
+	log_very_verbose("Reducing mirror set %s from %" PRIu32 " to %"
+			 PRIu32 " image(s)%s.", lv->name,
 			 old_area_count, old_area_count - num_removed,
 			 remove_log ? " and no log volume" : "");
 
@@ -805,12 +806,14 @@ static int _remove_mirror_images(struct logical_volume *lv,
 		return 0;
 	}
 
+	num_removed = 0;
+
 	/* Move removable_pvs to end of array */
 	for (s = mirrored_seg->area_count - 1;
-	     s >= 0 && old_area_count - new_area_count < num_removed;
+	     s >= 0 && old_area_count - new_area_count < orig_removed;
 	     s--) {
 		sub_lv = seg_lv(mirrored_seg, s);
-		if (!is_temporary_mirror_layer(sub_lv) &&
+		if (!(is_temporary_mirror_layer(sub_lv) && lv_mirror_count(sub_lv) != 1) &&
 		    is_removable(sub_lv, removable_baton)) {
 			/*
 			 * Check if the user is trying to pull the
@@ -824,10 +827,14 @@ static int _remove_mirror_images(struct logical_volume *lv,
 			}
 			if (!shift_mirror_images(mirrored_seg, s))
 				return_0;
-			new_area_count--;
+			--new_area_count;
+			++num_removed;
 		}
 	}
 
+	if (!preferred_only)
+		num_removed = orig_removed;
+
 	/*
 	 * If removable_pvs were specified, then they have been shifted
 	 * to the end to ensure they are removed.  The remaining balance
@@ -864,12 +871,19 @@ static int _remove_mirror_images(struct logical_volume *lv,
 		detached_log_lv = detach_mirror_log(mirrored_seg);
 		if (!remove_layer_from_lv(lv, temp_layer_lv))
 			return_0;
-		lv->status &= ~MIRRORED;
-		lv->status &= ~MIRROR_NOTSYNCED;
 		if (collapse && !_merge_mirror_images(lv, &tmp_orphan_lvs)) {
 			log_error("Failed to add mirror images");
 			return 0;
 		}
+                /*
+                 * No longer a mirror? Even though new_area_count was 1,
+                 * _merge_mirror_images may have resulted into lv being still a
+                 * mirror. Fix up the flags if we only have one image left.
+                 */
+                if (lv_mirror_count(lv) == 1) {
+                    lv->status &= ~MIRRORED;
+                    lv->status &= ~MIRROR_NOTSYNCED;
+                }
 		mirrored_seg = first_seg(lv);
 		if (remove_log && !detached_log_lv)
 			detached_log_lv = detach_mirror_log(mirrored_seg);
@@ -1035,7 +1049,7 @@ static int _remove_mirror_images(struct logical_volume *lv,
 		*removed = old_area_count - new_area_count;
 
 	log_very_verbose("%" PRIu32 " image(s) removed from %s",
-			 old_area_count - num_removed, lv->name);
+			 old_area_count - new_area_count, lv->name);
 
 	return 1;
 }
@@ -1051,6 +1065,9 @@ int remove_mirror_images(struct logical_volume *lv, uint32_t num_mirrors,
 	uint32_t existing_mirrors = lv_mirror_count(lv);
 	struct logical_volume *next_lv = lv;
 
+	int preferred_only = 1;
+	int retries = 0;
+
 	num_removed = existing_mirrors - num_mirrors;
 
 	/* num_removed can be 0 if the function is called just to remove log */
@@ -1062,17 +1079,33 @@ int remove_mirror_images(struct logical_volume *lv, uint32_t num_mirrors,
 
 		if (!_remove_mirror_images(next_lv, removed_once,
 					   is_removable, removable_baton,
-					   remove_log, 0, &r))
+					   remove_log, 0, &r, preferred_only))
 			return_0;
 
-		if (r < removed_once) {
+		if (r < removed_once || !removed_once) {
 			/* Some mirrors are removed from the temporary mirror,
 			 * but the temporary layer still exists.
 			 * Down the stack and retry for remainder. */
 			next_lv = find_temporary_mirror(next_lv);
+			if (!next_lv) {
+				preferred_only = 0;
+				next_lv = lv;
+			}
 		}
 
 		num_removed -= r;
+
+		/*
+		 * if there are still images to be removed, try again; this is
+		 * required since some temporary layers may have been reduced
+		 * to 1, at which point they are made removable, just like
+		 * normal images
+		 */
+		if (!next_lv && !preferred_only && !retries && num_removed) {
+			++retries;
+			preferred_only = 1;
+		}
+
 	} while (next_lv && num_removed);
 
 	if (num_removed) {
@@ -1126,7 +1159,7 @@ int collapse_mirrored_lv(struct logical_volume *lv)
 
 		if (!_remove_mirror_images(mirror_seg->lv,
 					   mirror_seg->area_count - 1,
-					   _no_removable_images, NULL, 0, 1, NULL)) {
+					   _no_removable_images, NULL, 0, 1, NULL, 0)) {
 			log_error("Failed to release mirror images");
 			return 0;
 		}
@@ -1252,7 +1285,7 @@ int reconfigure_mirror_images(struct lv_segment *mirrored_seg, uint32_t num_mirr
 
 	r = _remove_mirror_images(mirrored_seg->lv, old_num_mirrors - num_mirrors,
 				  is_mirror_image_removable, removable_pvs,
-				  remove_log, 0, NULL);
+				  remove_log, 0, NULL, 0);
 	if (!r)
 		/* Unable to remove bad devices */
 		return 0;