diff --git a/src/engine/imap-engine/imap-engine-account-synchronizer.vala b/src/engine/imap-engine/imap-engine-account-synchronizer.vala
index b79c4312..a5c07d1d 100644
--- a/src/engine/imap-engine/imap-engine-account-synchronizer.vala
+++ b/src/engine/imap-engine/imap-engine-account-synchronizer.vala
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ private class Geary.ImapEngine.AccountSynchronizer :
     private DateTime max_epoch = new DateTime(
         new TimeZone.local(), 2000, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0.0
     );
-    private bool background_idle_gc_scheduled = false;
 
 
     public AccountSynchronizer(GenericAccount account) {
@@ -100,17 +99,9 @@ private class Geary.ImapEngine.AccountSynchronizer :
 
     private void old_messages_background_cleanup(GLib.Cancellable? cancellable) {
 
-        if (this.account.is_open() && !this.background_idle_gc_scheduled) {
-            this.background_idle_gc_scheduled = true;
+        if (this.account.is_open()) {
             IdleGarbageCollection op = new IdleGarbageCollection(account);
 
-            op.completed.connect(() => {
-                this.background_idle_gc_scheduled = false;
-            });
-            cancellable.cancelled.connect(() => {
-                this.background_idle_gc_scheduled = false;
-            });
-
             send_all(this.account.list_folders(), false, true, op);
 
             // Add GC operation after message removal during background cleanup