diff --git a/wp-admin/includes/post.php b/wp-admin/includes/post.php
index 9754c3dbf8..806c8b3f00 100644
--- a/wp-admin/includes/post.php
+++ b/wp-admin/includes/post.php
@@ -83,8 +83,9 @@ function _wp_translate_postdata( $update = false, $post_data = null ) {
 		$post_data['post_status'] = sanitize_key( $post_data['post_status'] );
 
 		// No longer an auto-draft
-		if ( 'auto-draft' == $post_data['post_status'] )
+		if ( 'auto-draft' === $post_data['post_status'] ) {
 			$post_data['post_status'] = 'draft';
+		}
 	}
 
 	// What to do based on which button they pressed
@@ -113,8 +114,9 @@ function _wp_translate_postdata( $update = false, $post_data = null ) {
 		if ( ! in_array( $previous_status, $published_statuses ) || !current_user_can( 'edit_post', $post_id ) )
 			$post_data['post_status'] = 'pending';
 
-	if ( ! isset($post_data['post_status']) )
-		$post_data['post_status'] = $previous_status;
+	if ( ! isset( $post_data['post_status'] ) ) {
+		$post_data['post_status'] = 'auto-draft' === $previous_status ? 'draft' : $previous_status;
+	}
 
 	if (!isset( $post_data['comment_status'] ))
 		$post_data['comment_status'] = 'closed';