diff --git a/gui.lua b/gui.lua
index 7fa50a0..e0b2226 100644
--- a/gui.lua
+++ b/gui.lua
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ function mail.show_inbox(name)
 	if messages[1] then
 		for _, message in ipairs(messages) do
 			mail.ensure_new_format(message, name)
-			if message.unread then
+			if mail.getMessageStatus(name, message.id) == "unread" then
 				if not mail.player_in_list(name, message.to) then
 					formspec[#formspec + 1] = ",#FFD788"
 				else
@@ -349,9 +349,10 @@ function mail.show_message(name, msgnumber)
 	local body = minetest.formspec_escape(message.body) or ""
 	formspec = string.format(formspec, from, to, cc, date, subject, body)
 
-	if message.unread then
-		message.unread = false
-		mail.setMessages(name, messages)
+	message_status = mail.getMessageStatus(name, message.id)
+	
+	if message_status == "unread" then
+		mail.setStatus(name, message.id, "read")
 	end
 
 	minetest.show_formspec(name,"mail:message",formspec)
@@ -470,8 +471,7 @@ function mail.handle_receivefields(player, formname, fields)
 
 		elseif fields.delete then
 			if messages[selected_idxs.messages[name]] then
-				table.remove(messages, selected_idxs.messages[name])
-				mail.setMessages(name, messages)
+				mail.setStatus(name, messages[selected_idxs.messages[name]].id, "deleted")
 			end
 
 			if boxtab_index == 1 then
@@ -494,18 +494,14 @@ function mail.handle_receivefields(player, formname, fields)
 
 		elseif fields.markread then
 			if messages[selected_idxs.messages[name]] then
-				messages[selected_idxs.messages[name]].unread = false
-				-- set messages immediately, so it shows up already when updating the inbox
-				mail.setMessages(name, messages)
+				mail.setStatus(name, messages[selected_idxs.messages[name]].id, "read")
 			end
 
 			mail.show_inbox(name)
 
 		elseif fields.markunread then
 			if messages[selected_idxs.messages[name]] then
-				messages[selected_idxs.messages[name]].unread = true
-				-- set messages immediately, so it shows up already when updating the inbox
-				mail.setMessages(name, messages)
+				mail.setStatus(name, messages[selected_idxs.messages[name]].id, "unread")
 			end
 
 			mail.show_inbox(name)
diff --git a/storage.lua b/storage.lua
index 9e7c24b..2b1cd92 100644
--- a/storage.lua
+++ b/storage.lua
@@ -32,8 +32,10 @@ function mail.getPlayerMessages(playername)
 		for _, msg in ipairs(messages) do
 			local receivers = mail.split((msg.to .. ", " .. (msg.cc or "") .. ", " .. (msg.bcc or "")),",")
 			for _, receiver in ipairs(receivers) do
-				if receiver == playername then
-					table.insert(playerMessages, msg)
+				if receiver == playername then -- check if player is a receiver
+					if mail.getStatus(receiver, msg.id) ~= "deleted" then -- do not return if the message was deleted from player
+						table.insert(playerMessages, msg)
+					end
 				end
 			end
 		end
@@ -92,6 +94,15 @@ function mail.getStatus()
 	return messagesStatus
 end
 
+function mail.getMessageStatus(player, msg_id)
+	local messagesStatus = mail.getStatus()
+	for _, msg in ipairs(messagesStatus) do
+		if msg.id == msg_id and msg.player == player then
+			return msg.status
+		end
+	end
+end
+
 function mail.addStatus(player, msg_id, status)
 	local messagesStatus = mail.getStatus()
 	local msg_status = {id = msg_id, player = player, status = status}
@@ -108,10 +119,9 @@ function mail.setStatus(player, msg_id, status)
 	local messagesStatus = mail.getStatus()
 	for _, msg_status in ipairs(messagesStatus) do
 		if msg_status.id == msg_id and msg_status.player == player then
-			msg_status = {id = msg_id, player = player, status = status}
+			messagesStatus[_] = {id = msg_id, player = player, status = status}
 		end
 	end
-	table.insert(messagesStatus, 1, status)
 	if mail.write_json_file(mail.maildir .. "/mail.status.json", messagesStatus) then
 		return true
 	else