diff --git a/greenmail-core/src/main/java/com/icegreen/greenmail/store/HierarchicalFolder.java b/greenmail-core/src/main/java/com/icegreen/greenmail/store/HierarchicalFolder.java
index 740aca9b1..dadcfb283 100644
--- a/greenmail-core/src/main/java/com/icegreen/greenmail/store/HierarchicalFolder.java
+++ b/greenmail-core/src/main/java/com/icegreen/greenmail/store/HierarchicalFolder.java
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ class HierarchicalFolder implements MailFolder, UIDFolder {
         PERMANENT_FLAGS.add(Flags.Flag.DRAFT);
         PERMANENT_FLAGS.add(Flags.Flag.FLAGGED);
         PERMANENT_FLAGS.add(Flags.Flag.SEEN);
+        PERMANENT_FLAGS.add(Flags.Flag.USER);
     }
 
     private final StoredMessageCollection mailMessages = new ListBasedStoredMessageCollection();
diff --git a/greenmail-core/src/main/java/com/icegreen/greenmail/store/MessageFlags.java b/greenmail-core/src/main/java/com/icegreen/greenmail/store/MessageFlags.java
index 8e70c03e0..f2e69ab9c 100644
--- a/greenmail-core/src/main/java/com/icegreen/greenmail/store/MessageFlags.java
+++ b/greenmail-core/src/main/java/com/icegreen/greenmail/store/MessageFlags.java
@@ -66,6 +66,9 @@ public static String format(Flags flags) {
         if (flags.contains(Flags.Flag.SEEN)) {
             buf.append("\\Seen ");
         }
+        if (flags.contains(Flags.Flag.USER)) {
+            buf.append("\\* ");
+        }
         String[] userFlags = flags.getUserFlags();
         if(null!=userFlags) {
             for(String uf: userFlags) {