diff --git a/src/gui/formdatabasecleanup.cpp b/src/gui/formdatabasecleanup.cpp
index b41ab2cb3..1dab00d42 100755
--- a/src/gui/formdatabasecleanup.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/formdatabasecleanup.cpp
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ void FormDatabaseCleanup::startPurging() {
   orders.m_barrierForRemovingOldMessagesInDays = m_ui->m_spinDays->value();
   orders.m_removeReadMessages = m_ui->m_checkRemoveReadMessages->isChecked();
   orders.m_shrinkDatabase = m_ui->m_checkShrink->isEnabled() && m_ui->m_checkShrink->isChecked();
+  orders.m_removeStarredMessages = m_ui->m_checkRemoveStarredMessages->isChecked();
 
   emit purgeRequested(orders);
 }
diff --git a/src/gui/formdatabasecleanup.ui b/src/gui/formdatabasecleanup.ui
index 3c3c65061..44a1ec47b 100755
--- a/src/gui/formdatabasecleanup.ui
+++ b/src/gui/formdatabasecleanup.ui
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
       <string>Cleanup settings (all checked items are completely erased from database)</string>
      </property>
      <layout class="QGridLayout" name="gridLayout">
-      <item row="3" column="2">
+      <item row="4" column="2">
        <spacer name="horizontalSpacer">
         <property name="orientation">
          <enum>Qt::Horizontal</enum>
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
         </property>
        </spacer>
       </item>
-      <item row="3" column="1">
+      <item row="4" column="1">
        <widget class="QSpinBox" name="m_spinDays">
         <property name="minimum">
          <number>1</number>
@@ -46,7 +46,17 @@
         </property>
        </widget>
       </item>
-      <item row="3" column="0">
+      <item row="0" column="0" colspan="3">
+       <widget class="QCheckBox" name="m_checkRemoveReadMessages">
+        <property name="text">
+         <string>Remove all read messages (not those from recycle bin)</string>
+        </property>
+        <property name="checked">
+         <bool>true</bool>
+        </property>
+       </widget>
+      </item>
+      <item row="4" column="0">
        <widget class="QCheckBox" name="m_checkRemoveOldMessages">
         <property name="text">
          <string>Remove all messages older than</string>
@@ -66,20 +76,17 @@
         </property>
        </widget>
       </item>
-      <item row="0" column="0" colspan="3">
-       <widget class="QCheckBox" name="m_checkRemoveReadMessages">
+      <item row="3" column="0" colspan="3">
+       <widget class="QCheckBox" name="m_checkShrink">
         <property name="text">
-         <string>Remove all read messages (not those from recycle bin)</string>
-        </property>
-        <property name="checked">
-         <bool>true</bool>
+         <string>Shrink database file</string>
         </property>
        </widget>
       </item>
       <item row="2" column="0" colspan="3">
-       <widget class="QCheckBox" name="m_checkShrink">
+       <widget class="QCheckBox" name="m_checkRemoveStarredMessages">
         <property name="text">
-         <string>Shrink database file</string>
+         <string>Remove all starred messages (including those from recycle bin)</string>
         </property>
        </widget>
       </item>
diff --git a/src/miscellaneous/application.cpp b/src/miscellaneous/application.cpp
index 121c08689..17b64f2a1 100755
--- a/src/miscellaneous/application.cpp
+++ b/src/miscellaneous/application.cpp
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ Mutex *Application::feedUpdateLock() {
 }
 
 void Application::backupDatabaseSettings(bool backup_database, bool backup_settings,
-                                         const QString &target_path, const QString &backup_name) {
+                                         const QString &target_path, const QString &backup_name) { 
   if (!QFileInfo(target_path).isWritable()) {
     throw ApplicationException(tr("Output directory is not writable."));
   }
diff --git a/src/miscellaneous/databasecleaner.cpp b/src/miscellaneous/databasecleaner.cpp
index 2b6edbb4c..0a35a8ed9 100755
--- a/src/miscellaneous/databasecleaner.cpp
+++ b/src/miscellaneous/databasecleaner.cpp
@@ -91,16 +91,29 @@ void DatabaseCleaner::purgeDatabaseData(const CleanerOrders &which_data) {
   emit purgeFinished(result);
 }
 
+bool DatabaseCleaner::purgeStarredMessages(const QSqlDatabase &database) {
+  QSqlQuery query = QSqlQuery(database);
+
+  query.setForwardOnly(true);
+  query.prepare("DELETE FROM Messages WHERE is_important = :is_important;");
+  query.bindValue(":is_important", 1);
+
+  return query.exec();
+}
+
 bool DatabaseCleaner::purgeReadMessages(const QSqlDatabase &database) {
   QSqlQuery query = QSqlQuery(database);
 
   query.setForwardOnly(true);
-  query.prepare("DELETE FROM Messages WHERE is_deleted = :is_deleted AND is_read = :is_read;");
+  query.prepare("DELETE FROM Messages WHERE is_important = :is_important AND is_deleted = :is_deleted AND is_read = :is_read;");
   query.bindValue(":is_read", 1);
 
   // Remove only messages which are NOT in recycle bin.
   query.bindValue(":is_deleted", 0);
 
+  // Remove only messages which are NOT starred.
+  query.bindValue(":is_important", 0);
+
   return query.exec();
 }
 
@@ -109,9 +122,12 @@ bool DatabaseCleaner::purgeOldMessages(const QSqlDatabase &database, int days) {
   qint64 since_epoch = QDateTime::currentDateTimeUtc().addDays(-days).toMSecsSinceEpoch();
 
   query.setForwardOnly(true);
-  query.prepare("DELETE FROM Messages WHERE date_created < :date_created;");
+  query.prepare("DELETE FROM Messages WHERE is_important = :is_important AND date_created < :date_created;");
   query.bindValue(":date_created", since_epoch);
 
+  // Remove only messages which are NOT starred.
+  query.bindValue(":is_important", 0);
+
   return query.exec();
 }
 
@@ -119,8 +135,11 @@ bool DatabaseCleaner::purgeRecycleBin(const QSqlDatabase &database) {
   QSqlQuery query = QSqlQuery(database);
 
   query.setForwardOnly(true);
-  query.prepare("DELETE FROM Messages WHERE is_deleted = :is_deleted;");
+  query.prepare("DELETE FROM Messages WHERE is_important = :is_important AND is_deleted = :is_deleted;");
   query.bindValue(":is_deleted", 1);
 
+  // Remove only messages which are NOT starred.
+  query.bindValue(":is_important", 0);
+
   return query.exec();
 }
diff --git a/src/miscellaneous/databasecleaner.h b/src/miscellaneous/databasecleaner.h
index 62f019708..6673f9a2c 100755
--- a/src/miscellaneous/databasecleaner.h
+++ b/src/miscellaneous/databasecleaner.h
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ struct CleanerOrders {
   bool m_shrinkDatabase;
   bool m_removeOldMessages;
   bool m_removeRecycleBin;
+  bool m_removeStarredMessages;
   int m_barrierForRemovingOldMessagesInDays;
 };
 
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ class DatabaseCleaner : public QObject {
     void purgeDatabaseData(const CleanerOrders &which_data);
 
   private:
+    bool purgeStarredMessages(const QSqlDatabase &database);
     bool purgeReadMessages(const QSqlDatabase &database);
     bool purgeOldMessages(const QSqlDatabase &database, int days);
     bool purgeRecycleBin(const QSqlDatabase &database);