diff --git a/mailnews/imap/src/nsImapProtocol.cpp b/mailnews/imap/src/nsImapProtocol.cpp
index d0200f932eb..086f97d4c03 100644
--- a/mailnews/imap/src/nsImapProtocol.cpp
+++ b/mailnews/imap/src/nsImapProtocol.cpp
@@ -321,6 +321,7 @@ static PRBool gHideUnusedNamespaces = PR_TRUE;
 static PRBool gHideOtherUsersFromList = PR_FALSE;
 static PRBool gUseEnvelopeCmd = PR_FALSE;
 static PRBool gUseLiteralPlus = PR_TRUE;
+static PRBool gCheckDeletedBeforeExpunge = PR_FALSE; //bug 235004
 
 nsresult nsImapProtocol::GlobalInitialization()
 {
@@ -343,6 +344,7 @@ nsresult nsImapProtocol::GlobalInitialization()
     prefBranch->GetBoolPref("mail.imap.use_envelope_cmd",
                             &gUseEnvelopeCmd);
     prefBranch->GetBoolPref("mail.imap.use_literal_plus", &gUseLiteralPlus);
+    prefBranch->GetBoolPref("mail.imap.check_deleted_before_expunge", &gCheckDeletedBeforeExpunge);
     return NS_OK;
 }
 
@@ -4772,9 +4774,23 @@ void
 nsImapProtocol::Expunge()
 {
   ProgressEventFunctionUsingId (IMAP_STATUS_EXPUNGING_MAILBOX);
+
+  if(gCheckDeletedBeforeExpunge)
+  {
+    GetServerStateParser().ResetSearchResultSequence();
+    Search("SEARCH DELETED", PR_FALSE, PR_FALSE);
+    if (GetServerStateParser().LastCommandSuccessful()) 
+    {
+      nsImapSearchResultIterator *search = GetServerStateParser().CreateSearchResultIterator();
+      nsMsgKey key = search->GetNextMessageNumber();
+      delete search;
+      if (key == 0)
+        return;  //no deleted messages to expunge (bug 235004)
+    }
+  }
+
   IncrementCommandTagNumber();
-  
-  nsCString command(GetServerCommandTag());
+  nsCAutoString command(GetServerCommandTag());
   command.Append(" expunge"CRLF);
   
   nsresult rv = SendData(command.get());
diff --git a/mailnews/mailnews.js b/mailnews/mailnews.js
index e4435d2dadd..eff44522999 100644
--- a/mailnews/mailnews.js
+++ b/mailnews/mailnews.js
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ pref("mail.imap.mime_parts_on_demand",      true);
 pref("mail.imap.mime_parts_on_demand_max_depth", 15);
 pref("mail.imap.mime_parts_on_demand_threshold", 30000);
 pref("mail.imap.use_literal_plus",          true);
+pref("mail.imap.check_deleted_before_expunge", false);
 pref("mail.thread_without_re",	            true);
 pref("mail.leave_on_server",                false);
 pref("mail.default_cc",                     "");
@@ -316,8 +317,10 @@ pref("mail.identity.default.compose_html", true);
 pref("mail.identity.default.valid", true);
 pref("mail.identity.default.fcc",true);
 pref("mail.identity.default.fcc_folder","mailbox://nobody@Local%20Folders/Sent");
-
-// keep these defaults for backwards compatibility and migration
+
+
+// keep these defaults for backwards compatibility and migration
+
 // but .doBcc and .doBccList are the right ones from now on.
 pref("mail.identity.default.bcc_self",false);
 pref("mail.identity.default.bcc_others",false);