diff --git a/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/expire.py b/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/expire.py
index e811b4af..e940500d 100644
--- a/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/expire.py
+++ b/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/expire.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ from stat import S_ISREG
 
 from chatmaild.config import read_config
 
-FileEntry = namedtuple("FileEntry", ("relpath", "mtime", "size"))
+FileEntry = namedtuple("FileEntry", ("path", "mtime", "size"))
 
 
 def iter_mailboxes(basedir, maxnum):
@@ -51,35 +51,22 @@ class MailboxStat:
 
     def __init__(self, basedir):
         self.basedir = str(basedir)
-        # all detected messages in cur/new/tmp folders
         self.messages = []
-
-        # all detected files in mailbox top dir
         self.extrafiles = []
+        self.scandir(self.basedir)
 
-        # scan all relevant files (without recursion)
-        old_cwd = os.getcwd()
-        try:
-            os.chdir(self.basedir)
-        except FileNotFoundError:
-            return
-        try:
-            self.scandir(".")
-        finally:
-            os.chdir(old_cwd)
-
-    def scandir(self, dirname):
-        for name in os_listdir_if_exists(dirname):
-            relpath = f"{dirname}/{name}"
+    def scandir(self, folderdir):
+        for name in os_listdir_if_exists(folderdir):
+            path = f"{folderdir}/{name}"
             if name in ("cur", "new", "tmp"):
-                for msg_name in os_listdir_if_exists(relpath):
-                    entry = get_file_entry(f"{relpath}/{msg_name}")
+                for msg_name in os_listdir_if_exists(path):
+                    entry = get_file_entry(f"{path}/{msg_name}")
                     if entry is not None:
                         self.messages.append(entry)
-            elif relpath == "./.DeltaChat":
-                self.scandir(name)
+            elif os.path.isdir(path):
+                self.scandir(path)
             else:
-                entry = get_file_entry(relpath)
+                entry = get_file_entry(path)
                 if entry is not None:
                     self.extrafiles.append(entry)
                     if name == "password":
@@ -137,13 +124,6 @@ class Expiry:
             self.remove_mailbox(mbox.basedir)
             return
 
-        # all to-be-removed files are relative to the mailbox basedir
-        try:
-            os.chdir(mbox.basedir)
-        except FileNotFoundError:
-            print_info(f"mailbox not found/vanished {mbox.basedir}")
-            return
-
         mboxname = os.path.basename(mbox.basedir)
         if self.verbose:
             date = datetime.fromtimestamp(mbox.last_login) if mbox.last_login else None
@@ -154,11 +134,12 @@ class Expiry:
         self.all_files += len(mbox.messages)
         for message in mbox.messages:
             if message.mtime < cutoff_mails:
-                self.remove_file(message.relpath, mtime=message.mtime)
+                self.remove_file(message.path, mtime=message.mtime)
             elif message.size > 200000 and message.mtime < cutoff_large_mails:
                 # we only remove noticed large files (not unnoticed ones in new/)
-                if "cur" in message.relpath.split("/"):
-                    self.remove_file(message.relpath, mtime=message.mtime)
+                parts = message.path.split("/")
+                if len(parts) >= 2 and parts[-2] == "cur":
+                    self.remove_file(message.path, mtime=message.mtime)
             else:
                 continue
             changed = True
diff --git a/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/tests/test_expire.py b/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/tests/test_expire.py
index 89d3a69b..fcdb4506 100644
--- a/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/tests/test_expire.py
+++ b/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/tests/test_expire.py
@@ -17,16 +17,17 @@ from chatmaild.expire import main as expiry_main
 from chatmaild.fsreport import main as report_main
 
 
-def fill_mbox(basedir1):
-    password = basedir1.joinpath("password")
+def fill_mbox(folderdir):
+    password = folderdir.joinpath("password")
     password.write_text("xxx")
-    basedir1.joinpath("maildirsize").write_text("xxx")
+    folderdir.joinpath("maildirsize").write_text("xxx")
 
-    garbagedir = basedir1.joinpath("garbagedir")
+    garbagedir = folderdir.joinpath("garbagedir")
     garbagedir.mkdir()
+    garbagedir.joinpath("bimbum").write_text("hello")
 
-    create_new_messages(basedir1, ["cur/msg1"], size=500)
-    create_new_messages(basedir1, ["new/msg2"], size=600)
+    create_new_messages(folderdir, ["cur/msg1"], size=500)
+    create_new_messages(folderdir, ["new/msg2"], size=600)
 
 
 def create_new_messages(basedir, relpaths, size=1000, days=0):
@@ -86,7 +87,7 @@ def test_stats_mailbox(mbox1):
     create_new_messages(mbox1.basedir, ["large-extra"], size=1000)
     create_new_messages(mbox1.basedir, ["index-something"], size=3)
     mbox2 = MailboxStat(mbox1.basedir)
-    assert len(mbox2.extrafiles) == 4
+    assert len(mbox2.extrafiles) == 5
     assert mbox2.extrafiles[0].size == 1000
 
     # cope well with mailbox dirs that have no password (for whatever reason)