diff --git a/R/openxml_document.R b/R/openxml_document.R
index 2121965f..7954ba89 100644
--- a/R/openxml_document.R
+++ b/R/openxml_document.R
@@ -54,8 +54,30 @@ openxml_document <- R6Class(
     },
     relationship = function(){
       private$rels_doc
-    }
+    },
+    clean_media = function() {
+      # get package directory
+      package_dir <- dirname(dirname(dirname(private$rels_filename)))
+      # find .xml.rels files
+      rel_files <- list.files(package_dir, pattern = "\\.xml.rels$", recursive = TRUE, full.names = TRUE)
+
+      # collect media files that are referenced in .xml.rels files
+      media_file_rels <- lapply(rel_files, function(xml){
+        zz <- xml2::read_xml(xml)
+        rels <- xml2::xml_children(zz)
+        targets <- xml2::xml_attr(rels, "Target")
+        grep("^\\.\\./media/", targets, value = TRUE)
+      })
+      media_file_rels <- file.path(dirname(dirname(private$rels_filename)), sub("\\.\\./", "", unique(unlist(media_file_rels))))
 
+      # get files in media folder
+      media_folder <- grep("/media$", list.dirs(package_dir), value = TRUE)
+      media_files <- list.files(media_folder, recursive = TRUE, full.names = TRUE)
+
+      # delete unused files
+      files_to_delete <- media_files[!(media_files %in% media_file_rels)]
+      unlink(files_to_delete, force = TRUE)
+    }
   ),
   private = list(
 
diff --git a/R/ppt_classes.R b/R/ppt_classes.R
index 3753ac79..b1084745 100644
--- a/R/ppt_classes.R
+++ b/R/ppt_classes.R
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ presentation <- R6Class(
       private$slide_rid <- private$slide_rid[-dropid]
 
       private$update_xml()
+      self$clean_media()
 
       self
     }
diff --git a/R/pptx_slide_manip.R b/R/pptx_slide_manip.R
index 229d31bd..63de65b4 100644
--- a/R/pptx_slide_manip.R
+++ b/R/pptx_slide_manip.R
@@ -88,8 +88,6 @@ on_slide <- function(x, index) {
 #' @description Remove a slide from a pptx presentation.
 #' @param x an rpptx object
 #' @param index slide index, default to current slide position.
-#' @param rm_images if TRUE (defaults to FALSE), images presented in
-#' the slide to remove are also removed from the file.
 #' @note cursor is set on the last slide.
 #' @examples
 #' my_pres <- read_pptx()
@@ -97,7 +95,7 @@ on_slide <- function(x, index) {
 #' my_pres <- remove_slide(my_pres)
 #' @family functions slide manipulation
 #' @seealso [read_pptx()], [ph_with()], [ph_remove()]
-remove_slide <- function(x, index = NULL, rm_images = FALSE) {
+remove_slide <- function(x, index = NULL) {
   l_ <- length(x)
   if (l_ < 1) {
     stop("presentation contains no slide to delete", call. = FALSE)
@@ -113,13 +111,6 @@ remove_slide <- function(x, index = NULL, rm_images = FALSE) {
   filename <- basename(x$presentation$slide_data()$target[index])
   location <- which(x$slide$get_metadata()$name %in% filename)
 
-  if (rm_images) {
-    media_files <- pptx_summary(x)$media_file
-    if (length(media_files)) {
-      unlink(file.path(x$package_dir, media_files), force = TRUE)
-    }
-  }
-
   del_file <- x$slide$remove_slide(location)
 
   # update presentation elements