diff --git a/core/modules/image/image.install b/core/modules/image/image.install
index e4e77d859fe9ab31c3d2f53952659c7fd44a311c..8a0566093400110c7ee160967d39eeb8504d8bc6 100644
--- a/core/modules/image/image.install
+++ b/core/modules/image/image.install
@@ -161,11 +161,9 @@ function image_update_8000() {
 }
 
 /**
- * Remove the {image_styles} and {image_effects} tables.
+ * Empty update. See http://drupal.org/node/1980058.
  */
 function image_update_8001() {
-  db_drop_table('image_styles');
-  db_drop_table('image_effects');
 }
 
 /**