diff --git a/backend/api/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/backend/api/Backend.kt b/backend/api/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/backend/api/Backend.kt
index 5590b3cc4..8c0b1c91c 100644
--- a/backend/api/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/backend/api/Backend.kt
+++ b/backend/api/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/backend/api/Backend.kt
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import com.fsck.k9.mail.MessagingException
 
 interface Backend {
     val supportsSeenFlag: Boolean
+    val supportsExpunge: Boolean
 
     // TODO: Add a way to cancel the sync process
     fun sync(folder: String, syncConfig: SyncConfig, listener: SyncListener, providedRemoteFolder: Folder<*>?)
@@ -17,4 +18,7 @@ interface Backend {
 
     @Throws(MessagingException::class)
     fun markAllAsRead(folderServerId: String)
+
+    @Throws(MessagingException::class)
+    fun expunge(folderServerId: String)
 }
diff --git a/backend/imap/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/backend/imap/CommandExpunge.java b/backend/imap/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/backend/imap/CommandExpunge.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ba0a9fb6d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/imap/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/backend/imap/CommandExpunge.java
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+package com.fsck.k9.backend.imap;
+
+
+import com.fsck.k9.mail.Folder;
+import com.fsck.k9.mail.MessagingException;
+import com.fsck.k9.mail.store.imap.ImapStore;
+import org.jetbrains.annotations.NotNull;
+import timber.log.Timber;
+
+
+class CommandExpunge {
+    private final ImapStore imapStore;
+
+
+    CommandExpunge(ImapStore imapStore) {
+        this.imapStore = imapStore;
+    }
+
+    void expunge(@NotNull String folderServerId) throws MessagingException {
+        Timber.d("processPendingExpunge: folder = %s", folderServerId);
+
+        Folder remoteFolder = imapStore.getFolder(folderServerId);
+        try {
+            if (!remoteFolder.exists()) {
+                return;
+            }
+            remoteFolder.open(Folder.OPEN_MODE_RW);
+            if (remoteFolder.getMode() != Folder.OPEN_MODE_RW) {
+                return;
+            }
+            remoteFolder.expunge();
+
+            Timber.d("processPendingExpunge: complete for folder = %s", folderServerId);
+        } finally {
+            remoteFolder.close();
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/backend/imap/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/backend/imap/ImapBackend.java b/backend/imap/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/backend/imap/ImapBackend.java
index 3755c77db..331111aee 100644
--- a/backend/imap/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/backend/imap/ImapBackend.java
+++ b/backend/imap/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/backend/imap/ImapBackend.java
@@ -18,12 +18,14 @@ public class ImapBackend implements Backend {
     private final ImapSync imapSync;
     private final CommandSetFlag commandSetFlag;
     private final CommandMarkAllAsRead commandMarkAllAsRead;
+    private final CommandExpunge commandExpunge;
 
 
     public ImapBackend(String accountName, BackendStorage backendStorage, ImapStore imapStore) {
         imapSync = new ImapSync(accountName, backendStorage, imapStore);
         commandSetFlag = new CommandSetFlag(imapStore);
         commandMarkAllAsRead = new CommandMarkAllAsRead(imapStore);
+        commandExpunge = new CommandExpunge(imapStore);
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -31,6 +33,11 @@ public class ImapBackend implements Backend {
         return true;
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public boolean getSupportsExpunge() {
+        return true;
+    }
+
     @Override
     public void sync(@NotNull String folder, @NotNull SyncConfig syncConfig, @NotNull SyncListener listener,
             Folder providedRemoteFolder) {
@@ -47,4 +54,9 @@ public class ImapBackend implements Backend {
     public void markAllAsRead(@NotNull String folderServerId) throws MessagingException {
         commandMarkAllAsRead.markAllAsRead(folderServerId);
     }
+
+    @Override
+    public void expunge(@NotNull String folderServerId) throws MessagingException {
+        commandExpunge.expunge(folderServerId);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/backend/pop3/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/backend/pop3/Pop3Backend.kt b/backend/pop3/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/backend/pop3/Pop3Backend.kt
index a7b70e5ef..c95325c8a 100644
--- a/backend/pop3/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/backend/pop3/Pop3Backend.kt
+++ b/backend/pop3/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/backend/pop3/Pop3Backend.kt
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ class Pop3Backend(accountName: String, backendStorage: BackendStorage, pop3Store
     private val commandSetFlag = CommandSetFlag(pop3Store)
 
     override val supportsSeenFlag: Boolean = false
+    override val supportsExpunge: Boolean = false
 
     override fun sync(folder: String, syncConfig: SyncConfig, listener: SyncListener, providedRemoteFolder: Folder<*>?) {
         pop3Sync.sync(folder, syncConfig, listener)
@@ -25,4 +26,8 @@ class Pop3Backend(accountName: String, backendStorage: BackendStorage, pop3Store
     override fun markAllAsRead(folderServerId: String) {
         throw UnsupportedOperationException("not supported")
     }
+
+    override fun expunge(folderServerId: String) {
+        throw UnsupportedOperationException("not supported")
+    }
 }
diff --git a/backend/webdav/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/backend/webdav/WebDavBackend.kt b/backend/webdav/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/backend/webdav/WebDavBackend.kt
index 92da5d07a..b36b030b5 100644
--- a/backend/webdav/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/backend/webdav/WebDavBackend.kt
+++ b/backend/webdav/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/backend/webdav/WebDavBackend.kt
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ class WebDavBackend(accountName: String, backendStorage: BackendStorage, webDavS
     private val commandMarkAllAsRead = CommandMarkAllAsRead(webDavStore)
 
     override val supportsSeenFlag: Boolean = true
+    override val supportsExpunge: Boolean = true
 
 
     override fun sync(folder: String, syncConfig: SyncConfig, listener: SyncListener, providedRemoteFolder: Folder<*>?) {
@@ -29,4 +30,8 @@ class WebDavBackend(accountName: String, backendStorage: BackendStorage, webDavS
     override fun markAllAsRead(folderServerId: String) {
         commandMarkAllAsRead.markAllAsRead(folderServerId)
     }
+
+    override fun expunge(folderServerId: String) {
+        throw UnsupportedOperationException("not supported")
+    }
 }
diff --git a/k9mail/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/controller/MessagingController.java b/k9mail/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/controller/MessagingController.java
index 9b99746e0..056b3326e 100644
--- a/k9mail/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/controller/MessagingController.java
+++ b/k9mail/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/controller/MessagingController.java
@@ -1723,26 +1723,8 @@ public class MessagingController {
     }
 
     void processPendingExpunge(PendingExpunge command, Account account) throws MessagingException {
-        String folder = command.folder;
-
-        Timber.d("processPendingExpunge: folder = %s", folder);
-
-        RemoteStore remoteStore = account.getRemoteStore();
-        Folder remoteFolder = remoteStore.getFolder(folder);
-        try {
-            if (!remoteFolder.exists()) {
-                return;
-            }
-            remoteFolder.open(Folder.OPEN_MODE_RW);
-            if (remoteFolder.getMode() != Folder.OPEN_MODE_RW) {
-                return;
-            }
-            remoteFolder.expunge();
-
-            Timber.d("processPendingExpunge: complete for folder = %s", folder);
-        } finally {
-            closeFolder(remoteFolder);
-        }
+        Backend backend = getBackend(account);
+        backend.expunge(command.folder);
     }
 
     void processPendingMarkAllAsRead(PendingMarkAllAsRead command, Account account) throws MessagingException {