diff --git a/src/imap/mod.rs b/src/imap/mod.rs
index 3eb0c6dc2..be919b5c4 100644
--- a/src/imap/mod.rs
+++ b/src/imap/mod.rs
@@ -994,10 +994,10 @@ impl Imap {
         context: &Context,
         message_id: &str,
         folder: &str,
-        uid: &mut u32,
+        uid: u32,
     ) -> ImapActionResult {
         task::block_on(async move {
-            if let Some(imapresult) = self.prepare_imap_operation_on_msg(context, folder, *uid) {
+            if let Some(imapresult) = self.prepare_imap_operation_on_msg(context, folder, uid) {
                 return imapresult;
             }
             // we are connected, and the folder is selected
@@ -1034,7 +1034,7 @@ impl Imap {
                                 remote_message_id,
                                 message_id,
                             );
-                            *uid = 0;
+                            return ImapActionResult::Failed;
                         }
                     }
                     Err(err) => {
@@ -1042,18 +1042,18 @@ impl Imap {
                             context,
                             "Cannot delete {} on IMAP: {}", display_imap_id, err
                         );
-                        *uid = 0;
+                        return ImapActionResult::RetryLater;
                     }
                 }
             }
 
             // mark the message for deletion
-            if !self.add_flag_finalized(context, *uid, "\\Deleted").await {
+            if !self.add_flag_finalized(context, uid, "\\Deleted").await {
                 warn!(
                     context,
                     "Cannot mark message {} as \"Deleted\".", display_imap_id
                 );
-                ImapActionResult::Failed
+                ImapActionResult::RetryLater
             } else {
                 emit_event!(
                     context,
diff --git a/src/job.rs b/src/job.rs
index 04a8af69d..684457823 100644
--- a/src/job.rs
+++ b/src/job.rs
@@ -449,7 +449,7 @@ impl Job {
     fn DeleteMsgOnImap(&mut self, context: &Context) -> Status {
         let imap_inbox = &context.inbox_thread.read().unwrap().imap;
 
-        let mut msg = job_try!(Message::load_from_db(context, MsgId::new(self.foreign_id)));
+        let msg = job_try!(Message::load_from_db(context, MsgId::new(self.foreign_id)));
 
         if !msg.rfc724_mid.is_empty() {
             if message::rfc724_mid_cnt(context, &msg.rfc724_mid) > 1 {
@@ -462,10 +462,15 @@ impl Job {
                 we delete the message from the server */
                 let mid = msg.rfc724_mid;
                 let server_folder = msg.server_folder.as_ref().unwrap();
-                let res = imap_inbox.delete_msg(context, &mid, server_folder, &mut msg.server_uid);
-                if res == ImapActionResult::RetryLater {
-                    // XXX RetryLater is converted to RetryNow here
-                    return Status::RetryNow;
+                let res = imap_inbox.delete_msg(context, &mid, server_folder, msg.server_uid);
+                match res {
+                    ImapActionResult::RetryLater => {
+                        return Status::RetryLater;
+                    }
+                    ImapActionResult::AlreadyDone | ImapActionResult::Success => {}
+                    ImapActionResult::Failed => {
+                        return Status::Finished(Err(format_err!("Message deletion failed")));
+                    }
                 }
             }
             Message::delete_from_db(context, msg.id);