diff --git a/pinax/stripe/actions/customers.py b/pinax/stripe/actions/customers.py
index 5606200bb..66f0c025b 100644
--- a/pinax/stripe/actions/customers.py
+++ b/pinax/stripe/actions/customers.py
@@ -84,6 +84,12 @@ def get_customer_for_user(user):
     return next(iter(models.Customer.objects.filter(user=user)), None)
 
 
+def purge_local(customer):
+    customer.user = None
+    customer.date_purged = timezone.now()
+    customer.save()
+
+
 def purge(customer):
     """
     Deletes the Stripe customer data and purges the linking of the transaction
@@ -99,9 +105,7 @@ def purge(customer):
             # The exception was thrown because the customer was already
             # deleted on the stripe side, ignore the exception
             raise
-    customer.user = None
-    customer.date_purged = timezone.now()
-    customer.save()
+    purge_local(customer)
 
 
 def link_customer(event):
@@ -151,8 +155,16 @@ def sync_customer(customer, cu=None):
         customer: a Customer object
         cu: optionally, data from the Stripe API representing the customer
     """
+    if customer.date_purged is not None:
+        return
+
     if cu is None:
         cu = customer.stripe_customer
+
+    if cu.get('deleted', False):
+        purge_local(customer)
+        return
+
     customer.account_balance = utils.convert_amount_for_db(cu["account_balance"], cu["currency"])
     customer.currency = cu["currency"] or ""
     customer.delinquent = cu["delinquent"]
diff --git a/pinax/stripe/management/commands/sync_customers.py b/pinax/stripe/management/commands/sync_customers.py
index 0d136d6fd..d9230005d 100644
--- a/pinax/stripe/management/commands/sync_customers.py
+++ b/pinax/stripe/management/commands/sync_customers.py
@@ -31,5 +31,6 @@ def handle(self, *args, **options):
                     # This user doesn't exist (might be in test mode)
                     continue
 
-            invoices.sync_invoices_for_customer(customer)
-            charges.sync_charges_for_customer(customer)
+            if customer.date_purged is None:
+                invoices.sync_invoices_for_customer(customer)
+                charges.sync_charges_for_customer(customer)
diff --git a/pinax/stripe/tests/test_actions.py b/pinax/stripe/tests/test_actions.py
index 51fa5cd6f..23a9fbda2 100644
--- a/pinax/stripe/tests/test_actions.py
+++ b/pinax/stripe/tests/test_actions.py
@@ -1175,6 +1175,31 @@ def test_sync_customer_no_cu_provided(self, SyncPaymentSourceMock, SyncSubscript
         self.assertTrue(SyncPaymentSourceMock.called)
         self.assertTrue(SyncSubscriptionMock.called)
 
+    @patch("pinax.stripe.actions.customers.purge_local")
+    @patch("pinax.stripe.actions.subscriptions.sync_subscription_from_stripe_data")
+    @patch("pinax.stripe.actions.sources.sync_payment_source_from_stripe_data")
+    @patch("stripe.Customer.retrieve")
+    def test_sync_customer_purged_locally(self, RetrieveMock, SyncPaymentSourceMock, SyncSubscriptionMock, PurgeLocalMock):
+        self.customer.date_purged = timezone.now()
+        customers.sync_customer(self.customer)
+        self.assertFalse(RetrieveMock.called)
+        self.assertFalse(SyncPaymentSourceMock.called)
+        self.assertFalse(SyncSubscriptionMock.called)
+        self.assertFalse(PurgeLocalMock.called)
+
+    @patch("pinax.stripe.actions.customers.purge_local")
+    @patch("pinax.stripe.actions.subscriptions.sync_subscription_from_stripe_data")
+    @patch("pinax.stripe.actions.sources.sync_payment_source_from_stripe_data")
+    @patch("stripe.Customer.retrieve")
+    def test_sync_customer_purged_remotely_not_locally(self, RetrieveMock, SyncPaymentSourceMock, SyncSubscriptionMock, PurgeLocalMock):
+        RetrieveMock.return_value = dict(
+            deleted=True
+        )
+        customers.sync_customer(self.customer)
+        self.assertFalse(SyncPaymentSourceMock.called)
+        self.assertFalse(SyncSubscriptionMock.called)
+        self.assertTrue(PurgeLocalMock.called)
+
     @patch("pinax.stripe.actions.invoices.sync_invoice_from_stripe_data")
     @patch("stripe.Customer.retrieve")
     def test_sync_invoices_for_customer(self, RetreiveMock, SyncMock):
diff --git a/pinax/stripe/tests/test_commands.py b/pinax/stripe/tests/test_commands.py
index 6f70a5e65..c4e82e1ee 100644
--- a/pinax/stripe/tests/test_commands.py
+++ b/pinax/stripe/tests/test_commands.py
@@ -161,3 +161,22 @@ def test_sync_customers_with_unicode_username(self, SyncChargesMock, SyncInvoice
         self.assertEqual(SyncChargesMock.call_count, 1)
         self.assertEqual(SyncInvoicesMock.call_count, 1)
         self.assertEqual(SyncMock.call_count, 1)
+
+    @patch("stripe.Customer.retrieve")
+    @patch("pinax.stripe.actions.invoices.sync_invoices_for_customer")
+    @patch("pinax.stripe.actions.charges.sync_charges_for_customer")
+    def test_sync_customers_with_remotely_purged_customer(self, SyncChargesMock, SyncInvoicesMock, RetrieveMock):
+        customer = Customer.objects.create(
+            user=self.user,
+            stripe_id="cus_XXXXX"
+        )
+
+        RetrieveMock.return_value = dict(
+            deleted=True
+        )
+
+        management.call_command("sync_customers")
+        self.assertIsNone(Customer.objects.get(stripe_id=customer.stripe_id).user)
+        self.assertIsNotNone(Customer.objects.get(stripe_id=customer.stripe_id).date_purged)
+        self.assertEqual(SyncChargesMock.call_count, 0)
+        self.assertEqual(SyncInvoicesMock.call_count, 0)
diff --git a/pinax/stripe/webhooks.py b/pinax/stripe/webhooks.py
index 74ef684bc..de6c30f9b 100644
--- a/pinax/stripe/webhooks.py
+++ b/pinax/stripe/webhooks.py
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ class CustomerDeletedWebhook(Webhook):
     description = "Occurs whenever a customer is deleted."
 
     def process_webhook(self):
-        customers.purge(self.event.customer)
+        customers.purge_local(self.event.customer)
 
 
 class CustomerUpdatedWebhook(Webhook):