diff --git a/python/src/deltachat/account.py b/python/src/deltachat/account.py
index c5851b468..f95f0a4cb 100644
--- a/python/src/deltachat/account.py
+++ b/python/src/deltachat/account.py
@@ -179,17 +179,6 @@ class Account(object):
         if not self.is_configured():
             raise ValueError("need to configure first")
 
-    def empty_server_folders(self, inbox=False, mvbox=False):
-        """ empty server folders. """
-        flags = 0
-        if inbox:
-            flags |= const.DC_EMPTY_INBOX
-        if mvbox:
-            flags |= const.DC_EMPTY_MVBOX
-        if not flags:
-            raise ValueError("no flags set")
-        lib.dc_empty_server(self._dc_context, flags)
-
     def get_latest_backupfile(self, backupdir):
         """ return the latest backup file in a given directory.
         """
diff --git a/python/tests/test_account.py b/python/tests/test_account.py
index e50403456..d807f1ac4 100644
--- a/python/tests/test_account.py
+++ b/python/tests/test_account.py
@@ -819,18 +819,12 @@ class TestOnlineAccount:
         assert msg_in.text == "message2"
         assert msg_in.is_forwarded()
 
-    def test_send_self_message_and_empty_folder(self, acfactory, lp):
+    def test_send_self_message(self, acfactory, lp):
         ac1 = acfactory.get_one_online_account(mvbox=True, move=True)
         lp.sec("ac1: create self chat")
         chat = ac1.get_self_contact().create_chat()
         chat.send_text("hello")
         ac1._evtracker.get_matching("DC_EVENT_SMTP_MESSAGE_SENT")
-        ac1.empty_server_folders(inbox=True, mvbox=True)
-        ev1 = ac1._evtracker.get_matching("DC_EVENT_IMAP_FOLDER_EMPTIED")
-        ev2 = ac1._evtracker.get_matching("DC_EVENT_IMAP_FOLDER_EMPTIED")
-        boxes = [ev1.data2, ev2.data2]
-        boxes.remove("INBOX")
-        assert len(boxes) == 1 and boxes[0].endswith("DeltaChat")
 
     def test_send_and_receive_message_markseen(self, acfactory, lp):
         ac1, ac2 = acfactory.get_two_online_accounts()