AngularJS, promise with recursive function

I'm trying to use the AngularJS promise/then with a recursive function. But the then-function is not called (none of the error-, success-, notify-callbacks gets called).

Here is my code:

recursive function

loadSection2 = function() {

    var apiURL = "http://..."

    var deferred = $q.defer();

    $http({
        method: "GET",
        url: apiURL
    }).success(function(result, status, headers, config) {
        console.log(result);
        loadCount++;
        if(loadCount < 10) {
            newSectionArray.push(result);
            loadSection2(); 
        } else {
            loadCount = 0;
            deferred.resolve();
            return deferred.promise;
        }
    }).error(function() {
        return deferred.reject();
    });
    deferred.notify();
    return deferred.promise;
};

then

loadSection2().then(function() {
    console.log("NEW SECTIONS LOADED, start adding to document");
    addContent();
}, function() {
    console.log("ERROR CALLBACK");
}, function() {
    console.log("NOTIFY CALLBACK");
}).then(function() {
    loadScrollActive = false;
});

I think, the then has to get the first notify-callback at least. But there is no callback. Is then not working with recursive function?