diff --git a/src/components/views/elements/AppTile.js b/src/components/views/elements/AppTile.js
index 3b8105a0fe..bd88327b7f 100644
--- a/src/components/views/elements/AppTile.js
+++ b/src/components/views/elements/AppTile.js
@@ -160,19 +160,10 @@ export default class AppTile extends React.Component {
 
         // if it's not remaining on screen, get rid of the PersistedElement container
         if (!ActiveWidgetStore.getWidgetPersistence(this.props.id)) {
-            // FIXME: ActiveWidgetStore should probably worry about this?
-            this._destroyPersistentWidget();
+            ActiveWidgetStore.destroyPersistentWidget();
         }
     }
 
-    _destroyPersistentWidget() {
-        const PersistedElement = sdk.getComponent("elements.PersistedElement");
-        PersistedElement.destroyElement(this._persistKey);
-        ActiveWidgetStore.delWidgetMessaging(this.props.id);
-        ActiveWidgetStore.delWidgetCapabilities(this.props.id);
-        ActiveWidgetStore.delRoomId(this.props.id);
-    }
-
     /**
      * Adds a scalar token to the widget URL, if required
      * Component initialisation is only complete when this function has resolved
@@ -445,8 +436,7 @@ export default class AppTile extends React.Component {
         this.setState({hasPermissionToLoad: false});
 
         // Force the widget to be non-persistent
-        ActiveWidgetStore.setWidgetPersistence(this.props.id, false);
-        this._destroyPersistentWidget();
+        ActiveWidgetStore.destroyPersistentWidget();
     }
 
     formatAppTileName() {
diff --git a/src/stores/ActiveWidgetStore.js b/src/stores/ActiveWidgetStore.js
index e1b1efaace..53c17d0ee6 100644
--- a/src/stores/ActiveWidgetStore.js
+++ b/src/stores/ActiveWidgetStore.js
@@ -66,15 +66,21 @@ class ActiveWidgetStore extends EventEmitter {
         if (ev.getType() !== 'im.vector.modular.widgets') return;
 
         if (ev.getStateKey() === this._persistentWidgetId) {
-            const PersistedElement = sdk.getComponent("elements.PersistedElement");
-            PersistedElement.destroyElement('widget_' + ev.getStateKey());
-            this.setWidgetPersistence(ev.getStateKey(), false);
-            this.delWidgetMessaging(ev.getStateKey());
-            this.delWidgetCapabilities(ev.getStateKey());
-            this.delRoomId(ev.getStateKey());
+            this.destroyPersistentWidget();
         }
     }
 
+    destroyPersistentWidget() {
+        const toDeleteId = this._persistentWidgetId;
+
+        const PersistedElement = sdk.getComponent("elements.PersistedElement");
+        PersistedElement.destroyElement('widget_' + toDeleteId);
+        this.setWidgetPersistence(toDeleteId, false);
+        this.delWidgetMessaging(toDeleteId);
+        this.delWidgetCapabilities(toDeleteId);
+        this.delRoomId(toDeleteId);
+    }
+
     setWidgetPersistence(widgetId, val) {
         if (this._persistentWidgetId === widgetId && !val) {
             this._persistentWidgetId = null;
diff --git a/src/stores/LifecycleStore.js b/src/stores/LifecycleStore.js
index 0d76f06e72..2ce3be5a33 100644
--- a/src/stores/LifecycleStore.js
+++ b/src/stores/LifecycleStore.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 /*
 Copyright 2017 Vector Creations Ltd
+Copyright 2018 New Vector Ltd
 
 Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.