diff --git a/src/lib-storage/mail-user.c b/src/lib-storage/mail-user.c
index 553b90d868..334ed30c7b 100644
--- a/src/lib-storage/mail-user.c
+++ b/src/lib-storage/mail-user.c
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ void mail_user_unref(struct mail_user **_user)
 		return;
 	}
 
-	if (user->autoexpunge_enabled)
+	if (user->autoexpunge_enabled && user->namespaces_created)
 		mail_user_autoexpunge(user);
 
 	user->deinitializing = TRUE;