diff --git a/app/core/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/mailstore/K9BackendFolder.kt b/app/core/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/mailstore/K9BackendFolder.kt
index 115d87439..2e29799f4 100644
--- a/app/core/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/mailstore/K9BackendFolder.kt
+++ b/app/core/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/mailstore/K9BackendFolder.kt
@@ -88,17 +88,6 @@ class K9BackendFolder(
         database.setString(column = "more_messages", value = moreMessages.toDatabaseValue())
     }
 
-    override fun getUnreadMessageCount(): Int {
-        return database.rawQuery("SELECT COUNT(id) FROM messages" +
-                " WHERE folder_id = ? AND empty = 0 AND deleted = 0 AND read = 0", databaseId) { cursor ->
-            if (cursor.moveToFirst()) {
-                cursor.getInt(0)
-            } else {
-                throw IllegalStateException("Couldn't get unread message count for folder $folderServerId")
-            }
-        }
-    }
-
     override fun setLastChecked(timestamp: Long) {
         database.setLong(column = "last_updated", value = timestamp)
     }
diff --git a/backend/api/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/backend/api/BackendFolder.kt b/backend/api/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/backend/api/BackendFolder.kt
index 6851625ab..b3a04bc91 100644
--- a/backend/api/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/backend/api/BackendFolder.kt
+++ b/backend/api/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/backend/api/BackendFolder.kt
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ interface BackendFolder {
     fun getLastUid(): Long?
     fun getMoreMessages(): MoreMessages
     fun setMoreMessages(moreMessages: MoreMessages)
-    fun getUnreadMessageCount(): Int
     fun setLastChecked(timestamp: Long)
     fun setStatus(status: String?)
     fun getPushState(): String?
diff --git a/backend/jmap/src/test/java/com/fsck/k9/backend/jmap/InMemoryBackendFolder.kt b/backend/jmap/src/test/java/com/fsck/k9/backend/jmap/InMemoryBackendFolder.kt
index 7f6c5a6f1..35a71eea6 100644
--- a/backend/jmap/src/test/java/com/fsck/k9/backend/jmap/InMemoryBackendFolder.kt
+++ b/backend/jmap/src/test/java/com/fsck/k9/backend/jmap/InMemoryBackendFolder.kt
@@ -32,10 +32,6 @@ class InMemoryBackendFolder(override var name: String, var type: FolderType) : B
         throw UnsupportedOperationException("not implemented")
     }
 
-    override fun getUnreadMessageCount(): Int {
-        throw UnsupportedOperationException("not implemented")
-    }
-
     override fun setLastChecked(timestamp: Long) {
         throw UnsupportedOperationException("not implemented")
     }