diff --git a/imap-probe.js b/imap-probe.js
index c500fa5..88c38ed 100644
--- a/imap-probe.js
+++ b/imap-probe.js
@@ -155,6 +155,8 @@ ImapProbe.prototype._scanBox = function (needle, callback) {
             that._fetchMessage(box.messages.total--, function (error, message) {
                 if (error) return iteratorCallback(error);
 
+                if (message.attributes.flags.indexOf('\\Deleted') !== -1) return iteratorCallback(); // skip deleted
+
                 if (!searchMessage(message, needle)) return iteratorCallback(); // continue to next message
 
                 matchedMessage = message;