diff --git a/stacktach/views.py b/stacktach/views.py
index 10e6a6d..c458a37 100644
--- a/stacktach/views.py
+++ b/stacktach/views.py
@@ -257,14 +257,18 @@ def _process_delete(raw):
     notif = json.loads(raw.json)
     payload = notif[1]['payload']
     instance_id = payload['instance_id']
-    launched_at = str_time_to_unix(payload['launched_at'])
     deleted_at = str_time_to_unix(payload['deleted_at'])
     values = {
         'instance': instance_id,
-        'launched_at': launched_at,
         'deleted_at': deleted_at,
         'raw': raw
     }
+
+    launched_at = payload.get('launched_at')
+    if launched_at and launched_at != '':
+        launched_at = str_time_to_unix(launched_at)
+        values['launched_at'] = launched_at
+
     delete = STACKDB.create_instance_delete(**values)
     STACKDB.save(delete)
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_stacktach.py b/tests/unit/test_stacktach.py
index 34293ab..f24e6d0 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_stacktach.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_stacktach.py
@@ -526,6 +526,30 @@ class StacktackUsageParsingTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(delete.deleted_at, delete_decimal)
         self.mox.VerifyAll()
 
+    def test_process_delete_no_launch(self):
+        delete_time = datetime.datetime.utcnow()
+        delete_decimal = utils.decimal_utc(delete_time)
+        notif = utils.create_nova_notif(request_id=REQUEST_ID_1,
+                                        deleted=str(delete_time))
+        json_str = json.dumps(notif)
+        event = 'compute.instance.delete.end'
+        raw = utils.create_raw(self.mox, delete_decimal, event=event,
+                               json_str=json_str)
+        delete = self.mox.CreateMockAnything()
+        delete.instance = INSTANCE_ID_1
+        delete.deleted_at = delete_decimal
+        views.STACKDB.create_instance_delete(instance=INSTANCE_ID_1,
+                                             deleted_at=delete_decimal,
+                                             raw=raw) \
+            .AndReturn(delete)
+        views.STACKDB.save(delete)
+        self.mox.ReplayAll()
+
+        views._process_delete(raw)
+        self.assertEqual(delete.instance, INSTANCE_ID_1)
+        self.assertEqual(delete.deleted_at, delete_decimal)
+        self.mox.VerifyAll()
+
     def test_process_exists(self):
         launch_time = datetime.datetime.utcnow()-datetime.timedelta(hours=23)
         launch_decimal = utils.decimal_utc(launch_time)