diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/Core.java b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/Core.java
index 9c3531ae00..43b78ca36c 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/Core.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/Core.java
@@ -3430,8 +3430,8 @@ class Core {
             }
 
             if (account.max_messages != null && !account.leave_on_device) {
-                int hidden = db.message().setMessagesUiHide(folder.id, Math.abs(account.max_messages) + flagged);
-                int deleted = db.message().deleteMessagesKeep(folder.id, Math.abs(account.max_messages) + flagged + 100);
+                int hidden = db.message().setMessagesUiHide(folder.id, Math.abs(account.max_messages) + flagged, reversed);
+                int deleted = db.message().deleteMessagesKeep(folder.id, Math.abs(account.max_messages) + flagged + 100, reversed);
                 EntityLog.log(context, account.name + " POP" +
                         " cleanup max=" + account.max_messages + "" +
                         " hidden=" + hidden + " deleted=" + deleted);
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/DaoMessage.java b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/DaoMessage.java
index f56fba03f7..f59c6ff36c 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/DaoMessage.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/DaoMessage.java
@@ -792,9 +792,9 @@ public interface DaoMessage {
             " AND id NOT IN (" +
             "    SELECT id FROM message" +
             "    WHERE folder = :folder" +
-            "    ORDER BY received DESC" +
+            "    ORDER BY CASE WHEN :reversed THEN -received ELSE received END DESC" +
             "    LIMIT :keep)")
-    int setMessagesUiHide(long folder, int keep);
+    int setMessagesUiHide(long folder, int keep, boolean reversed);
 
     @Transaction
     @Query("UPDATE message SET ui_ignored = :ui_ignored WHERE id = :id AND NOT (ui_ignored IS :ui_ignored)")
@@ -1018,7 +1018,7 @@ public interface DaoMessage {
             " AND id NOT IN (" +
             "    SELECT id FROM message" +
             "    WHERE folder = :folder" +
-            "    ORDER BY received DESC" +
+            "    ORDER BY CASE WHEN :reversed THEN -received ELSE received END DESC" +
             "    LIMIT :keep)")
-    int deleteMessagesKeep(long folder, int keep);
+    int deleteMessagesKeep(long folder, int keep, boolean reversed);
 }
\ No newline at end of file