diff --git a/src/Console/User.php b/src/Console/User.php
index d97662038..a135e6292 100644
--- a/src/Console/User.php
+++ b/src/Console/User.php
@@ -304,19 +304,24 @@ HELP;
 			}
 		}
 
-		$user = $this->dba->selectFirst('user', ['uid'], ['nickname' => $nick]);
+		$user = $this->dba->selectFirst('user', ['uid', 'account_removed'], ['nickname' => $nick]);
 		if (empty($user)) {
 			throw new RuntimeException($this->l10n->t('User not found'));
 		}
 
+		if (!empty($user['account_removed'])) {
+			$this->out($this->l10n->t('User has already been marked for deletion.'));
+			return true;
+		}
+
 		if (!$this->getOption('q')) {
 			$this->out($this->l10n->t('Type "yes" to delete %s', $nick));
 			if (CliPrompt::prompt() !== 'yes') {
-				throw new RuntimeException('Delete abort.');
+				throw new RuntimeException($this->l10n->t('Deletion aborted.'));
 			}
 		}
 
-		return UserModel::remove($user['uid'] ?? -1);
+		return UserModel::remove($user['uid']);
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/src/Model/User.php b/src/Model/User.php
index 89574e760..b561a7912 100644
--- a/src/Model/User.php
+++ b/src/Model/User.php
@@ -1162,7 +1162,7 @@ class User
 		// unique), so it cannot be re-registered in the future.
 		DBA::insert('userd', ['username' => $user['nickname']]);
 
-		// The user and related data will be deleted in "cron_expire_and_remove_users" (cronjobs.php)
+		// The user and related data will be deleted in Friendica\Worker\CronJobs::expireAndRemoveUsers()
 		DBA::update('user', ['account_removed' => true, 'account_expires_on' => DateTimeFormat::utc('now + 7 day')], ['uid' => $uid]);
 		Worker::add(PRIORITY_HIGH, 'Notifier', Delivery::REMOVAL, $uid);