diff --git a/FAQ.md b/FAQ.md
index 88812abbbe..032d36098b 100644
--- a/FAQ.md
+++ b/FAQ.md
@@ -404,6 +404,7 @@ The low priority status bar notification shows the number of pending operations,
 * *send*: send message
 * *exists*: check if message exists
 * *rule*: execute rule on body text
+* *expunge*: permanently delete messages
 
 Operations are processed only when there is a connection to the email server or when manually synchronizing.
 See also [this FAQ](#user-content-faq16).
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/Core.java b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/Core.java
index aef9a9d40b..de8ced4c26 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/Core.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/Core.java
@@ -409,6 +409,10 @@ class Core {
                                     onPurgeFolder(context, jargs, folder, (IMAPFolder) ifolder);
                                     break;
 
+                                case EntityOperation.EXPUNGE:
+                                    onExpungeFolder(context, jargs, folder, (IMAPFolder) ifolder);
+                                    break;
+
                                 case EntityOperation.RULE:
                                     onRule(context, jargs, message);
                                     break;
@@ -1999,6 +2003,11 @@ class Core {
         }
     }
 
+    private static void onExpungeFolder(Context context, JSONArray jargs, EntityFolder folder, IMAPFolder ifolder) throws MessagingException {
+        Log.i(folder.name + " expunge");
+        ifolder.expunge();
+    }
+
     private static void onPurgeFolder(Context context, EntityFolder folder) {
         // POP3
         DB db = DB.getInstance(context);
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/DaoOperation.java b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/DaoOperation.java
index d09a20bb80..b7c1337005 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/DaoOperation.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/DaoOperation.java
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ public interface DaoOperation {
             " WHEN operation.name = '" + EntityOperation.MOVE + "' THEN 5" +
             " WHEN operation.name = '" + EntityOperation.PURGE + "' THEN 6" +
             " WHEN operation.name = '" + EntityOperation.DELETE + "' THEN 7" +
+            " WHEN operation.name = '" + EntityOperation.EXPUNGE + "' THEN 8" +
             " ELSE 0" +
             " END";
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/EntityOperation.java b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/EntityOperation.java
index 8b5cf27b0d..777cbd2f4d 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/EntityOperation.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/EntityOperation.java
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ public class EntityOperation {
     static final String EXISTS = "exists";
     static final String RULE = "rule";
     static final String PURGE = "purge";
+    static final String EXPUNGE = "expunge";
 
     private static final int MAX_FETCH = 100; // operations