diff --git a/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Taxonomies/Handlers/TaxonomyPartHandler.cs b/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Taxonomies/Handlers/TaxonomyPartHandler.cs
index 27dc26c42..e9d859085 100644
--- a/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Taxonomies/Handlers/TaxonomyPartHandler.cs
+++ b/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Taxonomies/Handlers/TaxonomyPartHandler.cs
@@ -22,12 +22,15 @@ namespace Orchard.Taxonomies.Handlers {
             Filters.Add(StorageFilter.For(repository));
             OnPublished<TaxonomyPart>((context, part) => {
                 var previousTermTypeName = part.TermTypeName;
-                taxonomyService.CreateTermContentType(part);
-
-                if (previousName != null && part.Name != previousName) {
-
-                    // remove previous term type
-                    contentDefinitionManager.DeleteTypeDefinition(previousTermTypeName);
+                
+                if (previousName == null || part.Name == previousName) {
+                    // is it a new taxonomy ?
+                    taxonomyService.CreateTermContentType(part);
+                }
+                else {
+                    // keep the previous term type name as it would otherwise force us
+                    // to update all terms to use another type
+                    part.TermTypeName = previousTermTypeName;
 
                     // update existing fields
                     foreach (var partDefinition in contentDefinitionManager.ListPartDefinitions()) {