diff --git a/src/SMESHDS/SMESHDS_Mesh.cxx b/src/SMESHDS/SMESHDS_Mesh.cxx
index 885a76107..f36c28b94 100644
--- a/src/SMESHDS/SMESHDS_Mesh.cxx
+++ b/src/SMESHDS/SMESHDS_Mesh.cxx
@@ -915,11 +915,12 @@ void SMESHDS_Mesh::RemoveElement(const SMDS_MeshElement * elt)
   if (!hasConstructionEdges() && !hasConstructionFaces())
   {
     SMESHDS_SubMesh* subMesh=0;
-    map<int,SMESHDS_SubMesh*>::iterator SubIt = myShapeIndexToSubMesh.begin();
-    for ( ; !subMesh && SubIt != myShapeIndexToSubMesh.end(); SubIt++ )
-      if (!SubIt->second->IsComplexSubmesh() && SubIt->second->Contains( elt ))
+    if ( elt->getshapeId() > 0 )
+    {
+      map<int,SMESHDS_SubMesh*>::iterator SubIt = myShapeIndexToSubMesh.find( elt->getshapeId() );
+      if ( SubIt != myShapeIndexToSubMesh.end() )
         subMesh = SubIt->second;
-    //MESSAGE("subMesh " << elt->getshapeId());
+    }
     RemoveFreeElement( elt, subMesh, true);
     return;
   }