diff --git a/src/libsync/discovery.cpp b/src/libsync/discovery.cpp
index 1e276ad68957..dfcb37d29001 100644
--- a/src/libsync/discovery.cpp
+++ b/src/libsync/discovery.cpp
@@ -1085,14 +1085,6 @@ void ProcessDirectoryJob::processFileAnalyzeLocalInfo(
                 qCWarning(lcDisco) << "Failed to delete a file record from the local DB" << path._original;
             }
             return;
-        } else if (dbEntry._type == ItemTypeVirtualFile && isVfsWithSuffix()) {
-            // If the virtual file is removed, recreate it.
-            // This is a precaution since the suffix files don't look like the real ones
-            // and we don't want users to accidentally delete server data because they
-            // might not expect that deleting the placeholder will have a remote effect.
-            item->_instruction = CSYNC_INSTRUCTION_NEW;
-            item->_direction = SyncFileItem::Down;
-            item->_type = ItemTypeVirtualFile;
         } else if (!serverModified) {
             // Removed locally: also remove on the server.
             if (!dbEntry._serverHasIgnoredFiles) {
diff --git a/src/libsync/propagateremotedelete.cpp b/src/libsync/propagateremotedelete.cpp
index 306ed4b1d73b..7bc5be952888 100644
--- a/src/libsync/propagateremotedelete.cpp
+++ b/src/libsync/propagateremotedelete.cpp
@@ -58,12 +58,19 @@ void PropagateRemoteDelete::start()
 
 void PropagateRemoteDelete::createDeleteJob(const QString &filename)
 {
-    qCInfo(lcPropagateRemoteDelete) << "Deleting file, local" << _item->_file << "remote" << filename;
+    Q_ASSERT(propagator());
+    auto remoteFilename = filename;
+    if (_item->_type == ItemType::ItemTypeVirtualFile) {
+        if (const auto vfs = propagator()->syncOptions()._vfs; vfs->mode() == Vfs::Mode::WithSuffix) {
+            // These are compile-time constants so no need to recreate each time
+            static constexpr auto suffixSize = std::string_view(APPLICATION_DOTVIRTUALFILE_SUFFIX).size();
+            remoteFilename.chop(suffixSize);
+        }
+    }
 
-    _job = new DeleteJob(propagator()->account(),
-        propagator()->fullRemotePath(filename),
-        this);
+    qCInfo(lcPropagateRemoteDelete) << "Deleting file, local" << _item->_file << "remote" << remoteFilename;
 
+    _job = new DeleteJob(propagator()->account(), propagator()->fullRemotePath(remoteFilename), this);
     connect(_job.data(), &DeleteJob::finishedSignal, this, &PropagateRemoteDelete::slotDeleteJobFinished);
     propagator()->_activeJobList.append(this);
     _job->start();
diff --git a/test/testsyncvirtualfiles.cpp b/test/testsyncvirtualfiles.cpp
index 44759da6ad5d..c90a55e322f6 100644
--- a/test/testsyncvirtualfiles.cpp
+++ b/test/testsyncvirtualfiles.cpp
@@ -175,17 +175,27 @@ private slots:
         QCOMPARE(dbRecord(fakeFolder, "A/a1" DVSUFFIX)._fileSize, 65);
         cleanup();
 
-        // If the local virtual file file is removed, it'll just be recreated
+        // If the local virtual file is removed, it should be gone remotely too
         if (!doLocalDiscovery)
             fakeFolder.syncEngine().setLocalDiscoveryOptions(LocalDiscoveryStyle::DatabaseAndFilesystem, { "A" });
         fakeFolder.localModifier().remove("A/a1" DVSUFFIX);
         QVERIFY(fakeFolder.syncOnce());
         QVERIFY(!fakeFolder.currentLocalState().find("A/a1"));
+        QVERIFY(!fakeFolder.currentLocalState().find("A/a1" DVSUFFIX));
+        QVERIFY(!fakeFolder.remoteModifier().find("A/a1"));
+        cleanup();
+
+        // Restore the state prior to next test
+        // Essentially repeating creation of virtual file
+        fakeFolder.remoteModifier().insert("A/a1", 64);
+        fakeFolder.remoteModifier().setModTime("A/a1", someDate);
+        QVERIFY(fakeFolder.syncOnce());
+        QVERIFY(!fakeFolder.currentLocalState().find("A/a1"));
         QVERIFY(fakeFolder.currentLocalState().find("A/a1" DVSUFFIX));
+        QCOMPARE(QFileInfo(fakeFolder.localPath() + "A/a1" DVSUFFIX).lastModified(), someDate);
         QVERIFY(fakeFolder.currentRemoteState().find("A/a1"));
         QVERIFY(itemInstruction(completeSpy, "A/a1" DVSUFFIX, CSYNC_INSTRUCTION_NEW));
         QCOMPARE(dbRecord(fakeFolder, "A/a1" DVSUFFIX)._type, ItemTypeVirtualFile);
-        QCOMPARE(dbRecord(fakeFolder, "A/a1" DVSUFFIX)._fileSize, 65);
         cleanup();
 
         // Remote rename is propagated