diff --git a/src/run-tests.pl b/src/run-tests.pl
index 72c8133..00959c1 100755
--- a/src/run-tests.pl
+++ b/src/run-tests.pl
@@ -605,10 +605,14 @@ sub cmptrash($$$)
 			print STDERR "Missing message $bn:".mn($num)."\n";
 			$ret = 1;
 		}
+		if ($ph) {
+			print STDERR "Message $bn:".mn($num)." is placeholder\n";
+			$ret = 1;
+		}
 	}
 	for my $num (sort { $a <=> $b } keys %$ms) {
 		if (!defined($$ref_ms{$num})) {
-			print STDERR "Excess message $bn:".mn($num)."\n";
+			print STDERR "Excess message $bn:".mn($num).($$ms{$num} ? " (is placeholder)" : "")."\n";
 			$ret = 1;
 		}
 	}
@@ -1057,7 +1061,7 @@ my @X22 = (
   B, "", ">->", "^*",
   B, "", "", "&1/",
   C, "^F*", "<-<+F", "",
-  C, "&1+T", "^T", "&",
+  C, "&1+T", "^", "&",
 );
 test("max size + flagging", \@x22, \@X22, \@O21);
 
@@ -1145,12 +1149,16 @@ test("max messages + expunge", \@x38, \@X38, \@O38);
 # Trashing
 
 my @x10 = (
-  E, A, E,
+  K, A, K,
   A, "*", "*~", "*T",
   B, "*T", "*^", "",
   C, "*T", "*", "*T",
   D, "_", "*", "*",
   E, "*", "*", "_",
+  F, "**", "*>", "*T?",
+  G, "*T?", "*<", "**",
+  J, "**", "*>", "*F?",
+  K, "*F?", "*<", "**",
   L, "*T", "", "",
   M, "", "", "*T",
   R, "", "", "*",  # Force maxuid in the interrupt-resume test.
@@ -1166,6 +1174,12 @@ my @X11 = (
   C, "#/", "/", "#/",
   D, "", "/", "#/",
   E, "#/", "/", "",
+  F, "#/", "/", "/",
+  G, "/", "/", "#/",
+  J, "", ">->", "^*",
+  J, "", "", "&1/",
+  K, "^*", "<-<", "",
+  K, "&1/", "", "",
   L, "#/", "", "",
   M, "", "", "#/",
   R, "*", "*", "",
@@ -1182,6 +1196,12 @@ my @X12 = (
   C, "#/", "/", "/",
   D, "", "/", "/",
   E, "#/", "/", "",
+  F, "#/", "/", "/",
+  G, "/", "/", "#/",
+  J, "", ">->", "^*",
+  J, "", "", "&1/",
+  K, "^*", "<-<", "",
+  K, "&1/", "", "",
   L, "#/", "", "",
   M, "", "", "#/",
   R, "*", "*", "",
@@ -1198,6 +1218,12 @@ my @X13 = (
   C, "#/", "/", "/",
   D, "", "/", "/",
   E, "#/", "/", "",
+  F, "#/", "/", "/",
+  G, "#/", "/", "/",
+  J, "", ">->", "^*",
+  J, "", "", "&1/",
+  K, "^*", "<-<", "",
+  K, "&1/", "", "",
   L, "#/", "", "",
   M, "#", "", "/",
   R, "*", "*", "",
diff --git a/src/sync.c b/src/sync.c
index ee3af7e..62c48a6 100644
--- a/src/sync.c
+++ b/src/sync.c
@@ -1498,7 +1498,10 @@ flags_set( int sts, void *aux )
 static void
 flags_set_p2( sync_vars_t *svars, sync_rec_t *srec, int t )
 {
-	if (srec->status & S_DELETE) {
+	if (srec->status & S_PURGE) {
+		JLOG( "P %u %u", (srec->uid[F], srec->uid[N]), "deleted dummy" );
+		srec->status = (srec->status & ~S_PURGE) | S_PURGED;
+	} else if (srec->status & S_DELETE) {
 		JLOG( "%c %u %u 0", ("><"[t], srec->uid[F], srec->uid[N]), "%sed deletion", str_hl[t] );
 		srec->uid[t^1] = 0;
 	} else {
@@ -1570,6 +1573,17 @@ msgs_flags_set( sync_vars_t *svars, int t )
 				debug( "is expired\n" );
 				continue;
 			}
+			if (srec->status & S_DUMMY(t)) {
+				// This is mostly academical, as trashing being done on the side
+				// where placeholders reside is rather unlikely.
+				debug( "is dummy\n" );
+				continue;
+			}
+			if (srec->status & S_PURGED) {
+				// As above.
+				debug( "is deleted dummy\n" );
+				continue;
+			}
 			if (only_new && !(srec->status & (S_PENDING | S_DUMMY(t^1) | S_SKIPPED))) {
 				debug( "is not new\n" );
 				continue;
diff --git a/src/sync_p.h b/src/sync_p.h
index 529a010..704c10c 100644
--- a/src/sync_p.h
+++ b/src/sync_p.h
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ BIT_ENUM(
 	S_DELETE,       // ephemeral: flags propagation is a deletion
 	S_UPGRADE,      // ephemeral: upgrading placeholder, do not apply MaxSize
 	S_PURGE,        // ephemeral: placeholder is being nuked
+	S_PURGED,       // ephemeral: placeholder was nuked
 )
 
 // This is the persistent status of the sync record, with regard to the journal.
diff --git a/src/sync_state.c b/src/sync_state.c
index 42a9a19..3f72177 100644
--- a/src/sync_state.c
+++ b/src/sync_state.c
@@ -292,6 +292,7 @@ load_state( sync_vars_t *svars )
 				case 'N':
 				case 'F':
 				case 'T':
+				case 'P':
 				case '+':
 				case '&':
 				case '-':
@@ -378,8 +379,11 @@ load_state( sync_vars_t *svars )
 					case '*':
 						debug( "flags now %u\n", t3 );
 						srec->flags = (uchar)t3;
-						srec->aflags[F] = srec->aflags[N] = 0;  // Clear F_DELETED from purge
-						srec->status &= ~S_PURGE;
+						break;
+					case 'P':
+						debug( "deleted dummy\n" );
+						srec->aflags[F] = srec->aflags[N] = 0;  // Clear F_DELETED
+						srec->status = (srec->status & ~S_PURGE) | S_PURGED;
 						break;
 					case '~':
 						srec->status = (srec->status & ~S_LOGGED) | t3;