diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/parser/MessageParser.java b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/parser/MessageParser.java
index cbb04f2b8c850d3f6baa270e6640d3b38290aeaf..e6d3b827790794c17b4e3d7d554225c19cad87e0 100644
--- a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/parser/MessageParser.java
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/parser/MessageParser.java
@@ -817,12 +817,6 @@ public class MessageParser extends AbstractParser implements OnMessagePacketRece
                 }
             }
 
-            long deletionDate = mXmppConnectionService.getAutomaticMessageDeletionDate();
-            if (deletionDate != 0 && message.getTimeSent() < deletionDate) {
-                Log.d(Config.LOGTAG, account.getJid().asBareJid() + ": skipping message from " + message.getCounterpart().toString() + " because it was sent prior to our deletion date");
-                return;
-            }
-
             boolean checkForDuplicates = (isTypeGroupChat && packet.hasChild("delay", "urn:xmpp:delay"))
                     || message.isPrivateMessage()
                     || message.getServerMsgId() != null
diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/services/MessageArchiveService.java b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/services/MessageArchiveService.java
index e74af3773b157b8d8e60408f8c10be54e3832884..b07fcbad8bced37ca37d1ff2904b28394cb322d4 100644
--- a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/services/MessageArchiveService.java
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/services/MessageArchiveService.java
@@ -110,7 +110,6 @@ public class MessageArchiveService implements OnAdvancedStreamFeaturesLoaded {
                 mXmppConnectionService.databaseBackend.getLastMessageReceived(account),
                 mXmppConnectionService.databaseBackend.getLastClearDate(account)
         );
-        mamReference = MamReference.max(mamReference, mXmppConnectionService.getAutomaticMessageDeletionDate());
         long endCatchup = account.getXmppConnection().getLastSessionEstablished();
         final Query query;
         if (mamReference.getTimestamp() == 0) {
@@ -184,7 +183,7 @@ public class MessageArchiveService implements OnAdvancedStreamFeaturesLoaded {
     public Query query(Conversation conversation, MamReference start, long end, boolean allowCatchup) {
         synchronized (this.queries) {
             final Query query;
-            final MamReference startActual = MamReference.max(start, mXmppConnectionService.getAutomaticMessageDeletionDate());
+            final MamReference startActual = start;
             if (start.getTimestamp() == 0) {
                 query = new Query(conversation, startActual, end, false);
                 query.reference = conversation.getFirstMamReference();