diff --git a/include/Contact.php b/include/Contact.php
index ecc271a8e0..1a7a1676a7 100644
--- a/include/Contact.php
+++ b/include/Contact.php
@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@ function user_remove($uid) {
 		$r[0]['nickname']
 	);
 
-	q("DELETE FROM `contact` WHERE `uid` = %d", intval($uid));
+	// don't delete yet, will be done later when contacts have deleted my stuff
+	// q("DELETE FROM `contact` WHERE `uid` = %d", intval($uid));
 	q("DELETE FROM `gcign` WHERE `uid` = %d", intval($uid));
 	q("DELETE FROM `group` WHERE `uid` = %d", intval($uid));
 	q("DELETE FROM `group_member` WHERE `uid` = %d", intval($uid));
@@ -41,7 +42,10 @@ function user_remove($uid) {
 	q("DELETE FROM `pconfig` WHERE `uid` = %d", intval($uid));
 	q("DELETE FROM `search` WHERE `uid` = %d", intval($uid));
 	q("DELETE FROM `spam` WHERE `uid` = %d", intval($uid));
-	q("DELETE FROM `user` WHERE `uid` = %d", intval($uid));
+	// don't delete yet, will be done later when contacts have deleted my stuff
+	// q("DELETE FROM `user` WHERE `uid` = %d", intval($uid));
+	q("UPDATE `user` SET `account_removed` = 1, `account_expires_on` = UTC_TIMESTAMP() WHERE `uid` = %d", intval($uid));
+	proc_run('php', "include/notifier.php", "removeme", $uid);
 	if($uid == local_user()) {
 		unset($_SESSION['authenticated']);
 		unset($_SESSION['uid']);
diff --git a/include/api.php b/include/api.php
index 456d984de1..7517abb70c 100644
--- a/include/api.php
+++ b/include/api.php
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@
 		// process normal login request
 
 		$r = q("SELECT * FROM `user` WHERE ( `email` = '%s' OR `nickname` = '%s' ) 
-			AND `password` = '%s' AND `blocked` = 0 AND `account_expired` = 0 AND `verified` = 1 LIMIT 1",
+			AND `password` = '%s' AND `blocked` = 0 AND `account_expired` = 0 AND `account_removed` = 0 AND `verified` = 1 LIMIT 1",
 			dbesc(trim($user)),
 			dbesc(trim($user)),
 			dbesc($encrypted)
diff --git a/include/auth.php b/include/auth.php
index c4f1f08651..523de88ce9 100644
--- a/include/auth.php
+++ b/include/auth.php
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ if((isset($_SESSION)) && (x($_SESSION,'authenticated')) && ((! (x($_POST,'auth-p
 		}
 
 		$r = q("SELECT `user`.*, `user`.`pubkey` as `upubkey`, `user`.`prvkey` as `uprvkey` 
-		FROM `user` WHERE `uid` = %d AND `blocked` = 0 AND `account_expired` = 0 AND `verified` = 1 LIMIT 1",
+		FROM `user` WHERE `uid` = %d AND `blocked` = 0 AND `account_expired` = 0 AND `account_removed` = 0 AND `verified` = 1 LIMIT 1",
 			intval($_SESSION['uid'])
 		);
 
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ else {
 
 			$r = q("SELECT `user`.*, `user`.`pubkey` as `upubkey`, `user`.`prvkey` as `uprvkey`  
 				FROM `user` WHERE ( `email` = '%s' OR `nickname` = '%s' ) 
-				AND `password` = '%s' AND `blocked` = 0 AND `account_expired` = 0 AND `verified` = 1 LIMIT 1",
+				AND `password` = '%s' AND `blocked` = 0 AND `account_expired` = 0 AND `account_removed` = 0 AND `verified` = 1 LIMIT 1",
 				dbesc(trim($_POST['username'])),
 				dbesc(trim($_POST['username'])),
 				dbesc($encrypted)
diff --git a/include/delivery.php b/include/delivery.php
index 14226e4fba..613453bc7a 100644
--- a/include/delivery.php
+++ b/include/delivery.php
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ function delivery_run($argv, $argc){
 						WHERE `contact`.`blocked` = 0 AND `contact`.`pending` = 0
 						AND `contact`.`network` = '%s' AND `user`.`nickname` = '%s'
 						$sql_extra
-						AND `user`.`account_expired` = 0 LIMIT 1",
+						AND `user`.`account_expired` = 0 AND `user`.`account_removed` = 0 LIMIT 1",
 						dbesc(NETWORK_DFRN),
 						dbesc($nickname)
 					);
diff --git a/include/diaspora.php b/include/diaspora.php
index c5b724509c..f645aeb39b 100755
--- a/include/diaspora.php
+++ b/include/diaspora.php
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ function diaspora_dispatch_public($msg) {
 		return;
 	}
 
-	$r = q("SELECT `user`.* FROM `user` WHERE `user`.`uid` IN ( SELECT `contact`.`uid` FROM `contact` WHERE `contact`.`network` = '%s' AND `contact`.`addr` = '%s' ) AND `account_expired` = 0 ",
+	$r = q("SELECT `user`.* FROM `user` WHERE `user`.`uid` IN ( SELECT `contact`.`uid` FROM `contact` WHERE `contact`.`network` = '%s' AND `contact`.`addr` = '%s' ) AND `account_expired` = 0 AND `account_removed` = 0 ",
 		dbesc(NETWORK_DIASPORA),
 		dbesc($msg['author'])
 	);
diff --git a/include/notifier.php b/include/notifier.php
index 171b55fc37..a999c3297b 100644
--- a/include/notifier.php
+++ b/include/notifier.php
@@ -134,6 +134,20 @@ function notifier_run($argv, $argc){
 		$recipients[] = $suggest[0]['cid'];
 		$item = $suggest[0];
 	}
+	elseif($cmd === 'removeme') {
+		$r = q("SELECT * FROM `user` WHERE `uid` = %d LIMIT 1", intval($item_id));
+		$user = $r[0];
+		$r = q("SELECT * FROM `contact` WHERE `uid` = %d AND `self` = 1 LIMIT 1", intval($item_id));
+		$self = $r[0];
+		$r = q("SELECT * FROM `contact` WHERE `self` = 0 AND `uid` = %d", intval($item_id));
+		if(! count($r))
+			return;
+		require_once('include/Contact.php');
+		foreach($r as $contact) {
+			terminate_friendship($user, $self, $contact);
+		}
+		return;
+	}
 	else {
 
 		// find ancestors
@@ -575,7 +589,7 @@ function notifier_run($argv, $argc){
 							AND `contact`.`pending` = 0
 							AND `contact`.`network` = '%s' AND `user`.`nickname` = '%s'
 							$sql_extra
-							AND `user`.`account_expired` = 0 LIMIT 1",
+							AND `user`.`account_expired` = 0 AND `user`.`account_removed` = 0 LIMIT 1",
 							dbesc(NETWORK_DFRN),
 							dbesc($nickname)
 						);
diff --git a/include/oauth.php b/include/oauth.php
index 103d4c2fa9..28ac4428f0 100644
--- a/include/oauth.php
+++ b/include/oauth.php
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ class FKOAuth1 extends OAuthServer {
 	function loginUser($uid){
 		logger("FKOAuth1::loginUser $uid");
 		$a = get_app();
-		$r = q("SELECT * FROM `user` WHERE uid=%d AND `blocked` = 0 AND `account_expired` = 0 AND `verified` = 1 LIMIT 1",
+		$r = q("SELECT * FROM `user` WHERE uid=%d AND `blocked` = 0 AND `account_expired` = 0 AND `account_removed` = 0 AND `verified` = 1 LIMIT 1",
 			intval($uid)
 		);
 		if(count($r)){
diff --git a/include/poller.php b/include/poller.php
index fefc9b381d..ce8399a485 100644
--- a/include/poller.php
+++ b/include/poller.php
@@ -67,6 +67,16 @@ function poller_run($argv, $argc){
 	q("UPDATE user SET `account_expired` = 1 where `account_expired` = 0 
 		AND `account_expires_on` != '0000-00-00 00:00:00' 
 		AND `account_expires_on` < UTC_TIMESTAMP() ");
+	
+	// delete user and contact records for recently removed accounts
+
+	$r = q("SELECT * FROM `user` WHERE `account_removed` = 1 AND `account_expires_on` < UTC_TIMESTAMP() - INTERVAL 3 DAY");
+	if (count($r)) {
+		foreach($r as $user) {
+			q("DELETE FROM `contact` WHERE `uid` = %d", intval($user['uid']));
+			q("DELETE FROM `user` WHERE `uid` = %d", intval($user['uid']));
+		}
+	}
   
 	$abandon_days = intval(get_config('system','account_abandon_days'));
 	if($abandon_days < 1)
@@ -154,7 +164,7 @@ function poller_run($argv, $argc){
 		$sql_extra 
 		AND `self` = 0 AND `contact`.`blocked` = 0 AND `contact`.`readonly` = 0 
 		AND `contact`.`archive` = 0 
-		AND `user`.`account_expired` = 0 $abandon_sql ORDER BY RAND()",
+		AND `user`.`account_expired` = 0 AND `user`.`account_removed` = 0 $abandon_sql ORDER BY RAND()",
 		intval(CONTACT_IS_SHARING),
 		intval(CONTACT_IS_FRIEND),
 		dbesc(NETWORK_DIASPORA),
diff --git a/mod/dfrn_notify.php b/mod/dfrn_notify.php
index e55da55722..476212b7af 100644
--- a/mod/dfrn_notify.php
+++ b/mod/dfrn_notify.php
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ function dfrn_notify_post(&$a) {
 			FROM `contact` 
 			LEFT JOIN `user` ON `contact`.`uid` = `user`.`uid` 
 			WHERE `contact`.`blocked` = 0 AND `contact`.`pending` = 0 
-				AND `user`.`nickname` = '%s' AND `user`.`account_expired` = 0 $sql_extra LIMIT 1",
+				AND `user`.`nickname` = '%s' AND `user`.`account_expired` = 0 AND `user`.`account_removed` = 0 $sql_extra LIMIT 1",
 		dbesc($a->argv[1])
 	);
 
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ function dfrn_notify_content(&$a) {
 
 		$r = q("SELECT `contact`.*, `user`.`nickname`, `user`.`page-flags` FROM `contact` LEFT JOIN `user` ON `user`.`uid` = `contact`.`uid` 
 				WHERE `contact`.`blocked` = 0 AND `contact`.`pending` = 0 AND `user`.`nickname` = '%s' 
-				AND `user`.`account_expired` = 0 $sql_extra LIMIT 1",
+				AND `user`.`account_expired` = 0 AND `user`.`account_removed` = 0 $sql_extra LIMIT 1",
 				dbesc($a->argv[1])
 		);
 
diff --git a/mod/openid.php b/mod/openid.php
index e2cea7d851..5d5539f00e 100644
--- a/mod/openid.php
+++ b/mod/openid.php
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ function openid_content(&$a) {
 
 			$r = q("SELECT `user`.*, `user`.`pubkey` as `upubkey`, `user`.`prvkey` as `uprvkey` 
 				FROM `user` WHERE `openid` = '%s' AND `blocked` = 0 
-				AND `account_expired` = 0 AND `verified` = 1 LIMIT 1",
+				AND `account_expired` = 0 AND `account_removed` = 0 AND `verified` = 1 LIMIT 1",
 				dbesc($authid)
 			);
 
diff --git a/mod/post.php b/mod/post.php
index 4a7e33b23b..c0e783a6aa 100644
--- a/mod/post.php
+++ b/mod/post.php
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ function post_post(&$a) {
 	else {
 		$nickname = $a->argv[2];
 		$r = q("SELECT * FROM `user` WHERE `nickname` = '%s' 
-				AND `account_expired` = 0 LIMIT 1",
+				AND `account_expired` = 0 AND `account_removed` = 0 LIMIT 1",
 			dbesc($nickname)
 		);
 		if(! count($r))
diff --git a/mod/profile.php b/mod/profile.php
index 6a80909e73..827166f927 100644
--- a/mod/profile.php
+++ b/mod/profile.php
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ function profile_init(&$a) {
 	if($a->argc > 1)
 		$which = $a->argv[1];
 	else {
-		$r = q("select nickname from user where blocked = 0 and account_expired = 0 and verified = 1 order by rand() limit 1");
+		$r = q("select nickname from user where blocked = 0 and account_expired = 0 and account_removed = 0 and verified = 1 order by rand() limit 1");
 		if(count($r)) {
 			goaway($a->get_baseurl() . '/profile/' . $r[0]['nickname']);
 		}
diff --git a/mod/pubsub.php b/mod/pubsub.php
index 64fbda289f..0e29628b80 100644
--- a/mod/pubsub.php
+++ b/mod/pubsub.php
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ function pubsub_init(&$a) {
 
 		$subscribe = (($hub_mode === 'subscribe') ? 1 : 0);
 
-		$r = q("SELECT * FROM `user` WHERE `nickname` = '%s' AND `account_expired` = 0 LIMIT 1",
+		$r = q("SELECT * FROM `user` WHERE `nickname` = '%s' AND `account_expired` = 0 AND `account_removed` = 0 LIMIT 1",
 			dbesc($nick)
 		);
 		if(! count($r)) {
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ function pubsub_post(&$a) {
 	$nick       = (($a->argc > 1) ? notags(trim($a->argv[1])) : '');
 	$contact_id = (($a->argc > 2) ? intval($a->argv[2])       : 0 );
 
-	$r = q("SELECT * FROM `user` WHERE `nickname` = '%s' AND `account_expired` = 0 LIMIT 1",
+	$r = q("SELECT * FROM `user` WHERE `nickname` = '%s' AND `account_expired` = 0 AND `account_removed` = 0 LIMIT 1",
 		dbesc($nick)
 	);
 	if(! count($r))
diff --git a/mod/receive.php b/mod/receive.php
index 2bd3cc65bc..0523fd9cc5 100644
--- a/mod/receive.php
+++ b/mod/receive.php
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ function receive_post(&$a) {
 
 		$guid = $a->argv[2];
 
-		$r = q("SELECT * FROM `user` WHERE `guid` = '%s' AND `account_expired` = 0 LIMIT 1",
+		$r = q("SELECT * FROM `user` WHERE `guid` = '%s' AND `account_expired` = 0 AND `account_removed` = 0 LIMIT 1",
 			dbesc($guid)
 		);
 		if(! count($r))
diff --git a/mod/salmon.php b/mod/salmon.php
index 1e16f9d14b..5df1e1c9e5 100644
--- a/mod/salmon.php
+++ b/mod/salmon.php
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ function salmon_post(&$a) {
 	$nick       = (($a->argc > 1) ? notags(trim($a->argv[1])) : '');
 	$mentions   = (($a->argc > 2 && $a->argv[2] === 'mention') ? true : false);
 
-	$r = q("SELECT * FROM `user` WHERE `nickname` = '%s' AND `account_expired` = 0 LIMIT 1",
+	$r = q("SELECT * FROM `user` WHERE `nickname` = '%s' AND `account_expired` = 0 AND `account_removed` = 0 LIMIT 1",
 		dbesc($nick)
 	);
 	if(! count($r))