diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/Core.java b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/Core.java
index ee9668dcda..16a7f424af 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/Core.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/Core.java
@@ -905,7 +905,7 @@ class Core {
 
             // Delete old local messages
             if (auto_delete && EntityFolder.TRASH.equals(folder.type)) {
-                List<Long> tbds = db.message().getMessagesBefore(folder.id, keep_time);
+                List<Long> tbds = db.message().getMessagesBefore(folder.id, keep_time, false);
                 Log.i(folder.name + " local tbd=" + tbds.size());
                 for (Long tbd : tbds) {
                     EntityMessage message = db.message().getMessage(tbd);
@@ -913,7 +913,7 @@ class Core {
                         EntityOperation.queue(context, db, message, EntityOperation.DELETE);
                 }
             } else {
-                int old = db.message().deleteMessagesBefore(folder.id, keep_time);
+                int old = db.message().deleteMessagesBefore(folder.id, keep_time, false);
                 Log.i(folder.name + " local old=" + old);
             }
 
@@ -923,6 +923,7 @@ class Core {
 
             // Reduce list of local uids
             SearchTerm searchTerm = new ReceivedDateTerm(ComparisonTerm.GE, new Date(sync_time));
+            searchTerm = new OrTerm(searchTerm, new FlagTerm(new Flags(Flags.Flag.SEEN), false));
             if (ifolder.getPermanentFlags().contains(Flags.Flag.FLAGGED))
                 searchTerm = new OrTerm(searchTerm, new FlagTerm(new Flags(Flags.Flag.FLAGGED), true));
 
@@ -931,11 +932,9 @@ class Core {
             try {
                 imessages = ifolder.search(searchTerm);
             } catch (MessagingException ex) {
-                if (ifolder.getPermanentFlags().contains(Flags.Flag.FLAGGED)) {
-                    Log.w(ex.getMessage());
-                    imessages = ifolder.search(new ReceivedDateTerm(ComparisonTerm.GE, new Date(sync_time)));
-                } else
-                    throw ex;
+                Log.w(ex.getMessage());
+                // Fallback to date only search
+                imessages = ifolder.search(new ReceivedDateTerm(ComparisonTerm.GE, new Date(sync_time)));
             }
             Log.i(folder.name + " remote count=" + imessages.length +
                     " search=" + (SystemClock.elapsedRealtime() - search) + " ms");
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/DaoMessage.java b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/DaoMessage.java
index 2d2c1b86c7..f7a5f16939 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/DaoMessage.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/DaoMessage.java
@@ -425,13 +425,15 @@ public interface DaoMessage {
             " WHERE folder = :folder" +
             " AND received < :received" +
             " AND NOT uid IS NULL" +
+            " AND (ui_seen OR :unseen)" +
             " AND NOT ui_flagged")
-    List<Long> getMessagesBefore(long folder, long received);
+    List<Long> getMessagesBefore(long folder, long received, boolean unseen);
 
     @Query("DELETE FROM message" +
             " WHERE folder = :folder" +
             " AND received < :received" +
             " AND NOT uid IS NULL" +
+            " AND (ui_seen OR :unseen)" +
             " AND NOT ui_flagged")
-    int deleteMessagesBefore(long folder, long received);
+    int deleteMessagesBefore(long folder, long received, boolean unseen);
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/WorkerCleanup.java b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/WorkerCleanup.java
index ddabd52f08..7f7ce72789 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/WorkerCleanup.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/WorkerCleanup.java
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ public class WorkerCleanup extends Worker {
                 if (keep_time < 0)
                     keep_time = 0;
 
-                int messages = db.message().deleteMessagesBefore(folder.id, keep_time);
+                int messages = db.message().deleteMessagesBefore(folder.id, keep_time, false);
                 if (messages > 0)
                     Log.i("Cleanup folder=" + folder.account + "/" + folder.name +
                             " before=" + new Date(keep_time) + " deleted=" + messages);