diff --git a/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/ini/chatmail.ini.f b/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/ini/chatmail.ini.f
index 49f1488e..16f2477e 100644
--- a/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/ini/chatmail.ini.f
+++ b/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/ini/chatmail.ini.f
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ max_user_send_per_minute = 60
 # maximum mailbox size of a chatmail account
 max_mailbox_size = 100M
 
-# time after which seen mails are deleted
+# time after which mails are unconditionally deleted
 delete_mails_after = 40d
 
 # minimum length a username must have
diff --git a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/dovecot/expunge.cron.j2 b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/dovecot/expunge.cron.j2
index 40c939fb..0abc950d 100644
--- a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/dovecot/expunge.cron.j2
+++ b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/dovecot/expunge.cron.j2
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-2 0 * * * dovecot doveadm expunge -A SEEN BEFORE {{ config.delete_mails_after }} INBOX
-2 0 * * * dovecot doveadm expunge -A SEEN BEFORE {{ config.delete_mails_after }} Deltachat
-2 0 * * * dovecot doveadm expunge -A SEEN BEFORE {{ config.delete_mails_after }} Trash
+2 0 * * * dovecot doveadm expunge -A SAVEDBEFORE {{ config.delete_mails_after }} MAILBOX INBOX
+2 0 * * * dovecot doveadm expunge -A SAVEDBEFORE {{ config.delete_mails_after }} MAILBOX Deltachat
+2 0 * * * dovecot doveadm expunge -A SAVEDBEFORE {{ config.delete_mails_after }} MAILBOX Trash
 2 30 * * * dovecot doveadm purge -A
diff --git a/www/src/info.md b/www/src/info.md
index 394b1f37..cab07473 100644
--- a/www/src/info.md
+++ b/www/src/info.md
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ The first login sets your password.
 
 - You may send up to {{ config.max_user_send_per_minute }} messages per minute.
 
-- Seen messages are removed {{ delete_mails_after }} after arriving on the server.
+- Messages are unconditionally removed {{ delete_mails_after }} after arriving on the server
 
 - You can store up to [{{ config.max_mailbox_size }} messages on the server](https://delta.chat/en/help#what-happens-if-i-turn-on-delete-old-messages-from-server).