diff --git a/django/contrib/admin/util.py b/django/contrib/admin/util.py
index b31756d762..a36c8c13c8 100644
--- a/django/contrib/admin/util.py
+++ b/django/contrib/admin/util.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ from django.utils import timezone
 from django.utils.encoding import force_str, force_text, smart_text
 from django.utils import six
 from django.utils.translation import ungettext
-from django.core.urlresolvers import reverse
+from django.core.urlresolvers import reverse, NoReverseMatch
 
 def lookup_needs_distinct(opts, lookup_path):
     """
@@ -113,12 +113,20 @@ def get_deleted_objects(objs, opts, user, admin_site, using):
         has_admin = obj.__class__ in admin_site._registry
         opts = obj._meta
 
+        no_edit_link = '%s: %s' % (capfirst(opts.verbose_name),
+                                   force_text(obj))
+
         if has_admin:
-            admin_url = reverse('%s:%s_%s_change'
-                                % (admin_site.name,
-                                   opts.app_label,
-                                   opts.model_name),
-                                None, (quote(obj._get_pk_val()),))
+            try:
+                admin_url = reverse('%s:%s_%s_change'
+                                    % (admin_site.name,
+                                       opts.app_label,
+                                       opts.model_name),
+                                    None, (quote(obj._get_pk_val()),))
+            except NoReverseMatch:
+                # Change url doesn't exist -- don't display link to edit
+                return no_edit_link
+
             p = '%s.%s' % (opts.app_label,
                            get_permission_codename('delete', opts))
             if not user.has_perm(p):
@@ -131,8 +139,7 @@ def get_deleted_objects(objs, opts, user, admin_site, using):
         else:
             # Don't display link to edit, because it either has no
             # admin or is edited inline.
-            return '%s: %s' % (capfirst(opts.verbose_name),
-                                force_text(obj))
+            return no_edit_link
 
     to_delete = collector.nested(format_callback)
 
diff --git a/tests/admin_views/admin.py b/tests/admin_views/admin.py
index df8ced949e..193b64505c 100644
--- a/tests/admin_views/admin.py
+++ b/tests/admin_views/admin.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ from .models import (Article, Chapter, Account, Media, Child, Parent, Picture,
     Album, Question, Answer, ComplexSortedPerson, PluggableSearchPerson, PrePopulatedPostLargeSlug,
     AdminOrderedField, AdminOrderedModelMethod, AdminOrderedAdminMethod,
     AdminOrderedCallable, Report, Color2, UnorderedObject, MainPrepopulated,
-    RelatedPrepopulated, UndeletableObject, UserMessenger, Simple, Choice,
+    RelatedPrepopulated, UndeletableObject, UnchangeableObject, UserMessenger, Simple, Choice,
     ShortMessage, Telegram)
 
 
@@ -656,6 +656,13 @@ class UndeletableObjectAdmin(admin.ModelAdmin):
         return super(UndeletableObjectAdmin, self).change_view(*args, **kwargs)
 
 
+class UnchangeableObjectAdmin(admin.ModelAdmin):
+    def get_urls(self):
+        # Disable change_view, but leave other urls untouched
+        urlpatterns = super(UnchangeableObjectAdmin, self).get_urls()
+        return [p for p in urlpatterns if not p.name.endswith("_change")]
+
+
 def callable_on_unknown(obj):
     return obj.unknown
 
@@ -741,6 +748,7 @@ site.register(Report, ReportAdmin)
 site.register(MainPrepopulated, MainPrepopulatedAdmin)
 site.register(UnorderedObject, UnorderedObjectAdmin)
 site.register(UndeletableObject, UndeletableObjectAdmin)
+site.register(UnchangeableObject, UnchangeableObjectAdmin)
 
 # We intentionally register Promo and ChapterXtra1 but not Chapter nor ChapterXtra2.
 # That way we cover all four cases:
diff --git a/tests/admin_views/models.py b/tests/admin_views/models.py
index c63ac3b927..1accf46819 100644
--- a/tests/admin_views/models.py
+++ b/tests/admin_views/models.py
@@ -674,6 +674,12 @@ class UndeletableObject(models.Model):
     """
     name = models.CharField(max_length=255)
 
+class UnchangeableObject(models.Model):
+    """
+    Model whose change_view is disabled in admin
+    Refs #20640.
+    """
+
 class UserMessenger(models.Model):
     """
     Dummy class for testing message_user functions on ModelAdmin
diff --git a/tests/admin_views/tests.py b/tests/admin_views/tests.py
index 8be623f4ca..8f83324a37 100644
--- a/tests/admin_views/tests.py
+++ b/tests/admin_views/tests.py
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ from django.core import mail
 from django.core.files import temp as tempfile
 from django.core.urlresolvers import reverse
 # Register auth models with the admin.
-from django.contrib import admin
 from django.contrib.auth import get_permission_codename
 from django.contrib.admin.helpers import ACTION_CHECKBOX_NAME
 from django.contrib.admin.models import LogEntry, DELETION
@@ -51,7 +50,7 @@ from .models import (Article, BarAccount, CustomArticle, EmptyModel, FooAccount,
     OtherStory, ComplexSortedPerson, PluggableSearchPerson, Parent, Child, AdminOrderedField,
     AdminOrderedModelMethod, AdminOrderedAdminMethod, AdminOrderedCallable,
     Report, MainPrepopulated, RelatedPrepopulated, UnorderedObject,
-    Simple, UndeletableObject, Choice, ShortMessage, Telegram)
+    Simple, UndeletableObject, UnchangeableObject, Choice, ShortMessage, Telegram)
 from .admin import site, site2
 
 
@@ -2422,6 +2421,24 @@ class AdminActionsTest(TestCase):
         self.assertContains(response, '<li>Answer: <a href="/test_admin/admin/admin_views/answer/%s/">Because.</a></li>' % a1.pk, html=True)
         self.assertContains(response, '<li>Answer: <a href="/test_admin/admin/admin_views/answer/%s/">Yes.</a></li>' % a2.pk, html=True)
 
+    def test_model_admin_default_delete_action_no_change_url(self):
+        """
+        Default delete action shouldn't break if a user's ModelAdmin removes the url for change_view.
+
+        Regression test for #20640
+        """
+        obj = UnchangeableObject.objects.create()
+        action_data = {
+            ACTION_CHECKBOX_NAME: obj.pk,
+            "action": "delete_selected",
+            "index": "0",
+        }
+        response = self.client.post('/test_admin/admin/admin_views/unchangeableobject/', action_data)
+        # No 500 caused by NoReverseMatch
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)
+        # The page shouldn't display a link to the nonexistent change page
+        self.assertContains(response, "<li>Unchangeable object: UnchangeableObject object</li>", 1, html=True)
+
     def test_custom_function_mail_action(self):
         "Tests a custom action defined in a function"
         action_data = {