diff --git a/headers/os/add-ons/mail_daemon/MailProtocol.h b/headers/os/add-ons/mail_daemon/MailProtocol.h
index 31a8baa5bb..3b558dd34e 100644
--- a/headers/os/add-ons/mail_daemon/MailProtocol.h
+++ b/headers/os/add-ons/mail_daemon/MailProtocol.h
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 #include <Entry.h>
 #include <File.h>
 
+#include <E-mail.h>
 #include <MailSettings.h>
 
 
@@ -145,7 +146,7 @@ public:
 	virtual	status_t			SyncMessages() = 0;
 	virtual status_t			FetchBody(const entry_ref& ref) = 0;
 	virtual	status_t			MarkMessageAsRead(const entry_ref& ref,
-									bool read = true);
+									read_flags flag = B_READ);
 	virtual	status_t			DeleteMessage(const entry_ref& ref) = 0;
 	virtual	status_t			AppendMessage(const entry_ref& ref);
 };
@@ -196,7 +197,7 @@ public:
 			void				FetchBody(const entry_ref& ref,
 									BMessage* launch = NULL);
 			void				MarkMessageAsRead(const entry_ref& ref,
-									bool read = true);
+									read_flags flag = B_READ);
 			void				DeleteMessage(const entry_ref& ref);
 			void				AppendMessage(const entry_ref& ref);
 private:
diff --git a/headers/os/mail/E-mail.h b/headers/os/mail/E-mail.h
index bfac0c1499..72662586c4 100644
--- a/headers/os/mail/E-mail.h
+++ b/headers/os/mail/E-mail.h
@@ -28,6 +28,16 @@ struct entry_ref;
 #define B_MAIL_ATTR_MIME		"MAIL:mime"				// string
 #define B_MAIL_ATTR_HEADER		"MAIL:header_length"	// int32
 #define B_MAIL_ATTR_CONTENT		"MAIL:content_length"	// int32
+#define B_MAIL_ATTR_READ		"MAIL:read"				// int32
+
+
+// read flags
+enum read_flags {
+	B_UNREAD				= 0,
+	B_SEEN					= 1,
+	B_READ					= 2
+	
+};
 
 
 // mail flags
diff --git a/headers/os/mail/MailDaemon.h b/headers/os/mail/MailDaemon.h
index 43b26431a1..bb394ccdb8 100644
--- a/headers/os/mail/MailDaemon.h
+++ b/headers/os/mail/MailDaemon.h
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@
 */
 
 
+#include <E-mail.h>
+
+
 const uint32 kMsgCheckAndSend = 'mbth';
 const uint32 kMsgCheckMessage = 'mnow';
 const uint32 kMsgSendMessages = 'msnd';
@@ -27,7 +30,7 @@ public:
 	static int32				CountNewMessages(
 									bool waitForFetchCompletion = false);
 	static status_t				MarkAsRead(int32 account, const entry_ref& ref,
-									bool read = true);
+									read_flags flag = B_READ);
 	static status_t				FetchBody(const entry_ref& ref,
 									BMessage* launchMessage = NULL);
 	static status_t				Quit();
diff --git a/headers/os/mail/MailSettings.h b/headers/os/mail/MailSettings.h
index 443f1601da..29eb5a3e24 100644
--- a/headers/os/mail/MailSettings.h
+++ b/headers/os/mail/MailSettings.h
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ typedef enum
 } b_mail_status_window_look;
 
 
-#define kDefaultSentDirectory "/boot/home/mail/sent"
+BString default_sent_directory();
 
 
 class BMailSettings {
diff --git a/headers/private/mail/mail_util.h b/headers/private/mail/mail_util.h
index a20981167a..df94e1a006 100644
--- a/headers/private/mail/mail_util.h
+++ b/headers/private/mail/mail_util.h
@@ -8,8 +8,17 @@
 
 #include <stdio.h>
 
+#include <Node.h>
+
+#include <E-mail.h>
+
+
 class BString;
 
+
+status_t write_read_attr(BNode& node, read_flags flag);
+
+
 // The next couple of functions are our wrapper around convert_to_utf8 and
 // convert_from_utf8 so that they can also convert from UTF-8 to UTF-8 by
 // specifying the MDR_UTF8_CONVERSION constant as the conversion operation.
diff --git a/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_filters/match_header/RuleFilter.cpp b/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_filters/match_header/RuleFilter.cpp
index bcb3123334..2410d9aa18 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_filters/match_header/RuleFilter.cpp
+++ b/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_filters/match_header/RuleFilter.cpp
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ RuleFilter::HeaderFetched(const entry_ref& ref, BFile* file)
 		case Z_SET_READ:
 		{
 			InboundProtocol& protocol = (InboundProtocol&)fMailProtocol;
-			protocol.MarkMessageAsRead(ref, true);
+			protocol.MarkMessageAsRead(ref, B_READ);
 			break;
 		}
 		default:
diff --git a/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/imap/IMAPInboundProtocol.cpp b/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/imap/IMAPInboundProtocol.cpp
index 63e914fc5c..84718f4f8f 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/imap/IMAPInboundProtocol.cpp
+++ b/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/imap/IMAPInboundProtocol.cpp
@@ -484,7 +484,7 @@ IMAPInboundProtocol::FetchBody(const entry_ref& ref)
 
 
 status_t
-IMAPInboundProtocol::MarkMessageAsRead(const entry_ref& ref, bool read)
+IMAPInboundProtocol::MarkMessageAsRead(const entry_ref& ref, read_flags flag)
 {
 	if (!IsConnected())
 		Connect(fServer, fUsername, fPassword, fUseSSL);
@@ -492,14 +492,16 @@ IMAPInboundProtocol::MarkMessageAsRead(const entry_ref& ref, bool read)
 	fIMAPMailboxThread->StopWatchingMailbox();
 	int32 uid = fStorage.RefToUID(ref);
 	int32 flags = fStorage.GetFlags(uid);
-	if (read)
+	if (flag == B_READ)
 		flags |= kSeen;
 	else
 		flags &= ~kSeen;
 	status_t status = fIMAPMailbox.SetFlags(
 		fIMAPMailbox.UIDToMessageNumber(uid), flags);
 	fIMAPMailboxThread->SyncAndStartWatchingMailbox();
-	return status;
+	if (status != B_OK)
+		return status;
+	return InboundProtocol::MarkMessageAsRead(ref, flag);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/imap/IMAPInboundProtocol.h b/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/imap/IMAPInboundProtocol.h
index f907fc3e9e..998a2243c1 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/imap/IMAPInboundProtocol.h
+++ b/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/imap/IMAPInboundProtocol.h
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ public:
 	virtual	status_t			SyncMessages();
 	virtual	status_t			FetchBody(const entry_ref& ref);
 	virtual	status_t			MarkMessageAsRead(const entry_ref& ref,
-									bool read = true);
+									read_flags flag = B_READ);
 
 	virtual	status_t			DeleteMessage(const entry_ref& ref);
 	virtual	status_t			AppendMessage(const entry_ref& ref);
diff --git a/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/imap/IMAPRootInboundProtocol.cpp b/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/imap/IMAPRootInboundProtocol.cpp
index 196bde69b3..9d51f85309 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/imap/IMAPRootInboundProtocol.cpp
+++ b/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/imap/IMAPRootInboundProtocol.cpp
@@ -98,14 +98,15 @@ IMAPRootInboundProtocol::FetchBody(const entry_ref& ref)
 
 
 status_t
-IMAPRootInboundProtocol::MarkMessageAsRead(const entry_ref& ref, bool read)
+IMAPRootInboundProtocol::MarkMessageAsRead(const entry_ref& ref,
+	read_flags flag)
 {
 	if (InterestingEntry(ref))
-		return IMAPInboundProtocol::MarkMessageAsRead(ref, read);
+		return IMAPInboundProtocol::MarkMessageAsRead(ref, flag);
 	InboundProtocolThread* thread = _FindThreadFor(ref);
 	if (!thread)
 		return B_BAD_VALUE;
-	thread->MarkMessageAsRead(ref, read);
+	thread->MarkMessageAsRead(ref, flag);
 	return B_OK;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/imap/IMAPRootInboundProtocol.h b/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/imap/IMAPRootInboundProtocol.h
index 1b1acd9ca3..29e77a25d8 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/imap/IMAPRootInboundProtocol.h
+++ b/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/imap/IMAPRootInboundProtocol.h
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ public:
 			status_t			SyncMessages();
 			status_t			FetchBody(const entry_ref& ref);
 			status_t			MarkMessageAsRead(const entry_ref& ref,
-									bool read = true);
+									read_flags flag = B_READ);
 
 			status_t			DeleteMessage(const entry_ref& ref);
 			status_t			AppendMessage(const entry_ref& ref);
diff --git a/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/imap/imap_lib/IMAPStorage.cpp b/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/imap/imap_lib/IMAPStorage.cpp
index 74c88d0f24..2b5f29f750 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/imap/imap_lib/IMAPStorage.cpp
+++ b/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/imap/imap_lib/IMAPStorage.cpp
@@ -468,10 +468,6 @@ IMAPStorage::_WriteFlags(int32 flags, BNode& node)
 	if (writen != sizeof(int32))
 		return writen;
 
-	const char* statusString = (flags & kSeen) ? "Read" : "New";
-	node.WriteAttr(B_MAIL_ATTR_STATUS, B_STRING_TYPE, 0, statusString,
-		strlen(statusString));
-
 	return B_OK;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/pop3/pop3.cpp b/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/pop3/pop3.cpp
index e84c5e933d..3c0aba613f 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/pop3/pop3.cpp
+++ b/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/pop3/pop3.cpp
@@ -184,9 +184,6 @@ POP3Protocol::SyncMessages()
 
 		entry_ref ref;
 		entry.GetRef(&ref);
-		// the ref becomes invalid after renaming the file thus we already
-		// write the status here
-		MarkMessageAsRead(ref, false);
 
 		int32 size = MessageSize(toRetrieve);
 		if (fFetchBodyLimit < 0 || size <= fFetchBodyLimit) {
diff --git a/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/outbound_protocols/smtp/ConfigView.cpp b/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/outbound_protocols/smtp/ConfigView.cpp
index d46048df1f..05766a2a8c 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/outbound_protocols/smtp/ConfigView.cpp
+++ b/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/outbound_protocols/smtp/ConfigView.cpp
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ SMTPConfigView::SMTPConfigView(MailAddonSettings& settings,
 	SetTo(settings);
 
 	fFileView =  new BMailFileConfigView("Destination:", "destination",
-		false, kDefaultSentDirectory);
+		false, default_sent_directory());
 	fFileView->SetTo(&settings.Settings(), NULL);
 	AddChild(fFileView);
 	float w, h;
diff --git a/src/apps/mail/MailWindow.cpp b/src/apps/mail/MailWindow.cpp
index 62052bfc17..029c20c28a 100644
--- a/src/apps/mail/MailWindow.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/mail/MailWindow.cpp
@@ -852,12 +852,12 @@ TMailWindow::SetCurrentMessageRead(bool read)
 	if (read && !mailStatus.ICompare("New")) {
 		node.RemoveAttr(B_MAIL_ATTR_STATUS);
 		WriteAttrString(&node, B_MAIL_ATTR_STATUS, "Read");
-		BMailDaemon::MarkAsRead(account, *fRef, true);
+		BMailDaemon::MarkAsRead(account, *fRef, B_READ);
 	}
 	if (!read && !mailStatus.ICompare("Read")) {
 		node.RemoveAttr(B_MAIL_ATTR_STATUS);
 		WriteAttrString(&node, B_MAIL_ATTR_STATUS, "New");
-		BMailDaemon::MarkAsRead(account, *fRef, false);
+		BMailDaemon::MarkAsRead(account, *fRef, B_UNREAD);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/src/kits/mail/HaikuMailFormatFilter.cpp b/src/kits/mail/HaikuMailFormatFilter.cpp
index f1a8ae2f1c..88efba3d45 100644
--- a/src/kits/mail/HaikuMailFormatFilter.cpp
+++ b/src/kits/mail/HaikuMailFormatFilter.cpp
@@ -54,14 +54,18 @@ HaikuMailFormatFilter::HaikuMailFormatFilter(MailProtocol& protocol,
 	fAccountId(settings->AccountID())
 {
 	const BMessage* outboundSettings = &settings->OutboundSettings().Settings();
-	fOutboundDirectory = kDefaultSentDirectory;
-	outboundSettings->FindString("destination", &fOutboundDirectory);
+	if (outboundSettings->FindString("destination", &fOutboundDirectory)
+		!= B_OK) {
+		fOutboundDirectory = default_sent_directory();
+	}
 }
 
 
 void
 HaikuMailFormatFilter::HeaderFetched(const entry_ref& ref, BFile* file)
 {
+	write_read_attr(*file, B_UNREAD);
+
 	file->Seek(0, SEEK_SET);
 
 	BMessage attributes;
diff --git a/src/kits/mail/MailDaemon.cpp b/src/kits/mail/MailDaemon.cpp
index 7ee3de1d40..ff1669b3bb 100644
--- a/src/kits/mail/MailDaemon.cpp
+++ b/src/kits/mail/MailDaemon.cpp
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ BMailDaemon::CountNewMessages(bool wait_for_fetch_completion)
 
 
 status_t
-BMailDaemon::MarkAsRead(int32 account, const entry_ref& ref, bool read)
+BMailDaemon::MarkAsRead(int32 account, const entry_ref& ref, read_flags flag)
 {
 	BMessenger daemon("application/x-vnd.Be-POST");
 	if (!daemon.IsValid())
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ BMailDaemon::MarkAsRead(int32 account, const entry_ref& ref, bool read)
 	BMessage message(kMsgMarkMessageAsRead);
 	message.AddInt32("account", account);
 	message.AddRef("ref", &ref);
-	message.AddBool("read", read);
+	message.AddInt32("read", flag);
 
 	return daemon.SendMessage(&message);
 }
diff --git a/src/kits/mail/MailProtocol.cpp b/src/kits/mail/MailProtocol.cpp
index 16d79f4d07..ff9e3af147 100644
--- a/src/kits/mail/MailProtocol.cpp
+++ b/src/kits/mail/MailProtocol.cpp
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 
 #include <MDRLanguage.h>
 
+#include <mail_util.h>
 #include <MailAddon.h>
 #include <MailProtocol.h>
 #include <MailSettings.h>
@@ -403,14 +404,10 @@ InboundProtocol::AppendMessage(const entry_ref& ref)
 
 
 status_t
-InboundProtocol::MarkMessageAsRead(const entry_ref& ref, bool read)
+InboundProtocol::MarkMessageAsRead(const entry_ref& ref, read_flags flag)
 {
 	BNode node(&ref);
-	const char* statusString = (read == true) ? "Read" : "New";
-	if (node.WriteAttr(B_MAIL_ATTR_STATUS, B_STRING_TYPE, 0, statusString,
-		strlen(statusString)) < 0)
-		return B_ERROR;
-	return B_OK;
+	return write_read_attr(node, flag);
 }
 
 
@@ -603,7 +600,7 @@ InboundProtocolThread::MessageReceived(BMessage* message)
 	{
 		entry_ref ref;
 		message->FindRef("ref", &ref);
-		bool read = message->FindBool("read");
+		read_flags read = (read_flags)message->FindInt32("read");
 		fProtocol->MarkMessageAsRead(ref, read);
 		break;
 	}
@@ -648,11 +645,11 @@ InboundProtocolThread::FetchBody(const entry_ref& ref, BMessage* launch)
 
 
 void
-InboundProtocolThread::MarkMessageAsRead(const entry_ref& ref, bool read)
+InboundProtocolThread::MarkMessageAsRead(const entry_ref& ref, read_flags flag)
 {
 	BMessage message(kMsgMarkMessageAsRead);
 	message.AddRef("ref", &ref);
-	message.AddBool("read", read);
+	message.AddInt32("read", flag);
 	PostMessage(&message);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/kits/mail/MailSettings.cpp b/src/kits/mail/MailSettings.cpp
index 8f36495255..226f7f4f57 100644
--- a/src/kits/mail/MailSettings.cpp
+++ b/src/kits/mail/MailSettings.cpp
@@ -31,6 +31,17 @@ namespace MailInternal {
 }
 
 
+BString
+default_sent_directory()
+{
+	BPath path;
+	if (find_directory(B_USER_DIRECTORY, &path) != B_OK)
+		path.SetTo("/boot/home");
+	path.Append("mail/sent");
+	return path.Path();
+}
+
+
 //	#pragma mark - BMailSettings
 
 
diff --git a/src/kits/mail/mail_util.cpp b/src/kits/mail/mail_util.cpp
index 5be1dcb807..7f452f4ec3 100644
--- a/src/kits/mail/mail_util.cpp
+++ b/src/kits/mail/mail_util.cpp
@@ -86,6 +86,25 @@ extern const CharsetConversionEntry mail_charsets [] =
 };
 
 
+status_t
+write_read_attr(BNode& node, read_flags flag)
+{
+	if (node.WriteAttr(B_MAIL_ATTR_READ, B_INT32_TYPE, 0, &flag, sizeof(int32))
+		< 0)
+		return B_ERROR;
+
+	if (flag == B_SEEN)
+		return B_OK;
+
+	const char* statusString = (flag == B_READ) ? "Read" : "New";
+	if (node.WriteAttr(B_MAIL_ATTR_STATUS, B_STRING_TYPE, 0, statusString,
+		strlen(statusString)) < 0)
+		return B_ERROR;
+
+	return B_OK;
+}
+
+
 // The next couple of functions are our wrapper around convert_to_utf8 and
 // convert_from_utf8 so that they can also convert from UTF-8 to UTF-8 by
 // specifying the B_MAIL_UTF8_CONVERSION constant as the conversion operation.  It
diff --git a/src/servers/mail/MailDaemon.cpp b/src/servers/mail/MailDaemon.cpp
index aa1277adb3..443fbf767f 100644
--- a/src/servers/mail/MailDaemon.cpp
+++ b/src/servers/mail/MailDaemon.cpp
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ makeIndices()
 		fs_create_index(device, B_MAIL_ATTR_WHEN, B_INT32_TYPE, 0);
 		fs_create_index(device, B_MAIL_ATTR_FLAGS, B_INT32_TYPE, 0);
 		fs_create_index(device, B_MAIL_ATTR_ACCOUNT, B_INT32_TYPE, 0);
+		fs_create_index(device, B_MAIL_ATTR_READ, B_INT32_TYPE, 0);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -432,7 +433,7 @@ MailDaemonApp::MessageReceived(BMessage* msg)
 			entry_ref ref;
 			if (msg->FindRef("ref", &ref) != B_OK)
 				break;
-			bool read = msg->FindBool("read");
+			read_flags read = (read_flags)msg->FindInt32("read");
 			AccountMap::iterator it = fAccounts.find(account);
 			if (it == fAccounts.end())
 				break;
@@ -670,6 +671,8 @@ MailDaemonApp::MakeMimeTypes(bool remakeMIMETypes)
 			addAttribute(info, B_MAIL_ATTR_THREAD, "Thread");
 			addAttribute(info, B_MAIL_ATTR_ACCOUNT, "Account", B_STRING_TYPE,
 				true, false, 100);
+			addAttribute(info, B_MAIL_ATTR_READ, "Read", B_INT32_TYPE,
+				true, false, 70);
 			mime.SetAttrInfo(&info);
 
 			if (i == 0) {