diff --git a/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/imap/IMAPFolder.cpp b/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/imap/IMAPFolder.cpp
index 8b882c28ca..ec0cdfac37 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/imap/IMAPFolder.cpp
+++ b/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/imap/IMAPFolder.cpp
@@ -247,7 +247,8 @@ IMAPFolder::SyncMessageFlags(uint32 uid, uint32 mailboxFlags)
 			// The message does not exist anymore locally, delete it on the
 			// server
 			// TODO: copy it to the trash directory first!
-			fProtocol.UpdateMessageFlags(*this, uid, IMAP::kDeleted);
+			if (fProtocol.Settings()->DeleteRemoteWhenLocal())
+				fProtocol.UpdateMessageFlags(*this, uid, IMAP::kDeleted);
 			return;
 		}
 		if (status == B_OK)
diff --git a/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/imap/IMAPProtocol.h b/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/imap/IMAPProtocol.h
index 0f89ae4b8a..24bf46fc2d 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/imap/IMAPProtocol.h
+++ b/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/imap/IMAPProtocol.h
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ public:
 									read_flags flags = B_READ);
 
 	virtual void				MessageReceived(BMessage* message);
+	const ::Settings*			Settings() const { return &fSettings; };
 
 protected:
 	virtual status_t			HandleFetchBody(const entry_ref& ref,
@@ -66,7 +67,7 @@ protected:
 	typedef std::map<IMAPFolder*, IMAPConnectionWorker*> WorkerMap;
 	typedef std::map<ino_t, IMAPFolder*> FolderNodeMap;
 
-			Settings			fSettings;
+			::Settings			fSettings;
 			mutex				fWorkerLock;
 			BObjectList<IMAPConnectionWorker> fWorkers;
 			WorkerMap			fWorkerMap;
@@ -75,4 +76,4 @@ protected:
 };
 
 
-#endif	// IMAP_PROTOCOL_H
+#endif	// IMAP_PROTOCOL_H
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/imap/Settings.cpp b/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/imap/Settings.cpp
index 397d95128c..f77e9bd881 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/imap/Settings.cpp
+++ b/src/add-ons/mail_daemon/inbound_protocols/imap/Settings.cpp
@@ -108,3 +108,9 @@ Settings::BodyFetchLimit() const
 {
 	return fMessage.GetInt32("partial_download_limit", -1);
 }
+
+bool
+Settings::DeleteRemoteWhenLocal() const
+{
+	return fMessage.FindBool("delete_remote_when_local");
+}