diff --git a/src/entities/note.js b/src/entities/note.js
index f6a4951c5..f24f67bf5 100644
--- a/src/entities/note.js
+++ b/src/entities/note.js
@@ -543,8 +543,7 @@ class Note extends Entity {
 
         for (const attribute of attributes) {
             if (attribute.type === type && attribute.name === name && (value === undefined || value === attribute.value)) {
-                attribute.isDeleted = true;
-                attribute.save();
+                attribute.markAsDeleted();
 
                 this.invalidateAttributeCache();
             }
diff --git a/src/public/app/widgets/search_actions/execute_script.js b/src/public/app/widgets/search_actions/execute_script.js
index 16ea0a9b9..e84d3b394 100644
--- a/src/public/app/widgets/search_actions/execute_script.js
+++ b/src/public/app/widgets/search_actions/execute_script.js
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ const TPL = `
                 
                 More complex example would be deleting all matched note's attributes:
                 
-                <pre>for (const attr of note.getOwnedAttributes) { attr.isDeleted = true; attr.save(); }</pre>
+                <pre>for (const attr of note.getOwnedAttributes) { attr.markAsDeleted(); }</pre>
               </div>
             </div>
         
diff --git a/src/routes/api/attributes.js b/src/routes/api/attributes.js
index 0744af675..144174c51 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/attributes.js
+++ b/src/routes/api/attributes.js
@@ -36,8 +36,7 @@ function updateNoteAttribute(req) {
                 newAttribute.save();
             }
 
-            attribute.isDeleted = true;
-            attribute.save();
+            attribute.markAsDeleted();
 
             return {
                 attributeId: newAttribute ? newAttribute.attributeId : null
@@ -61,7 +60,7 @@ function updateNoteAttribute(req) {
     }
     else {
         // relations should never have empty target
-        attribute.isDeleted = true;
+        attribute.markAsDeleted();
     }
 
     attribute.save();
@@ -108,7 +107,7 @@ function deleteNoteAttribute(req) {
             return [400, `Attribute ${attributeId} is not owned by ${noteId}`];
         }
 
-        attribute.markAttributeAsDeleted();
+        attribute.markAsDeleted();
     }
 }
 
@@ -174,8 +173,7 @@ function updateNoteAttributes(req) {
     // all the remaining existing attributes are not defined anymore and should be deleted
     for (const toDeleteAttr of existingAttrs) {
         if (!toDeleteAttr.isAutoLink()) {
-            toDeleteAttr.isDeleted = true;
-            toDeleteAttr.save();
+            toDeleteAttr.markAsDeleted();
         }
     }
 }
@@ -221,8 +219,7 @@ function deleteRelation(req) {
     let attribute = repository.getEntity(`SELECT * FROM attributes WHERE isDeleted = 0 AND noteId = ? AND type = 'relation' AND name = ? AND value = ?`, [sourceNoteId, name, targetNoteId]);
 
     if (attribute) {
-        attribute.isDeleted = true;
-        attribute.save();
+        attribute.markAsDeleted();
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/routes/api/branches.js b/src/routes/api/branches.js
index e95eb3062..823572246 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/branches.js
+++ b/src/routes/api/branches.js
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ function moveBranchToParent(req) {
     const newBranch = branchToMove.createClone(parentBranch.noteId, newNotePos);
     newBranch.save();
 
-    branchToMove.isDeleted = true;
+    branchToMove.markAsDeleted();
     branchToMove.save();
 
     return { success: true };
@@ -85,8 +85,7 @@ function moveBranchBeforeNote(req) {
         const newBranch = branchToMove.createClone(beforeBranch.parentNoteId, beforeBranch.notePosition);
         newBranch.save();
 
-        branchToMove.isDeleted = true;
-        branchToMove.save();
+        branchToMove.markAsDeleted();
     }
 
     return { success: true };
@@ -121,8 +120,7 @@ function moveBranchAfterNote(req) {
         const newBranch = branchToMove.createClone(afterNote.parentNoteId, movedNotePosition);
         newBranch.save();
 
-        branchToMove.isDeleted = true;
-        branchToMove.save();
+        branchToMove.markAsDeleted();
     }
 
     return { success: true };
diff --git a/src/routes/api/search.js b/src/routes/api/search.js
index 315985fee..efe06f3f2 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/search.js
+++ b/src/routes/api/search.js
@@ -59,22 +59,19 @@ async function searchFromNote(req) {
 
 const ACTION_HANDLERS = {
     deleteNote: (action, note) => {
-        note.isDeleted = true;
-        note.save();
+        note.markAsDeleted();
     },
     deleteNoteRevisions: (action, note) => {
         noteRevisionService.eraseNoteRevisions(note.getNoteRevisions().map(rev => rev.noteRevisionId));
     },
     deleteLabel: (action, note) => {
         for (const label of note.getOwnedLabels(action.labelName)) {
-            label.isDeleted = true;
-            label.save();
+            label.markAsDeleted();
         }
     },
     deleteRelation: (action, note) => {
         for (const relation of note.getOwnedRelations(action.relationName)) {
-            relation.isDeleted = true;
-            relation.save();
+            relation.markAsDeleted();
         }
     },
     renameLabel: (action, note) => {
diff --git a/src/services/becca/entities/attribute.js b/src/services/becca/entities/attribute.js
index ba9be9117..b581235a1 100644
--- a/src/services/becca/entities/attribute.js
+++ b/src/services/becca/entities/attribute.js
@@ -120,8 +120,7 @@ class Attribute extends AbstractEntity {
             position: this.position,
             value: this.value,
             isInheritable: this.isInheritable,
-            utcDateModified: dateUtils.utcNowDateTime(),
-            isDeleted: false
+            utcDateModified: dateUtils.utcNowDateTime()
         };
     }
 
@@ -143,10 +142,6 @@ class Attribute extends AbstractEntity {
             this.isInheritable = false;
         }
 
-        if (!this.isDeleted) {
-            this.isDeleted = false;
-        }
-
         super.beforeSaving();
     }
 
@@ -158,13 +153,12 @@ class Attribute extends AbstractEntity {
             value: value,
             position: this.position,
             isInheritable: isInheritable,
-            isDeleted: false,
             utcDateModified: this.utcDateModified
         });
     }
 
-    markAttributeAsDeleted() {
-        sql.execute("UPDATE attributes SET isDeleted = 1 WHERE attributeId = ?", [this.attributeId]);
+    markAsDeleted(deleteId = null) {
+        sql.execute("UPDATE attributes SET isDeleted = 1, deleteId = ? WHERE attributeId = ?", [deleteId, this.attributeId]);
 
         // FIXME: this needs to be published into entity_changes (for sync and becca cleanup)
     }
diff --git a/src/services/becca/entities/branch.js b/src/services/becca/entities/branch.js
index 0bfe2376d..5b1c9b3ea 100644
--- a/src/services/becca/entities/branch.js
+++ b/src/services/becca/entities/branch.js
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ class Branch extends AbstractEntity {
     }
 
     beforeSaving() {
+        // TODO can be refactored into becca
         if (this.notePosition === undefined || this.notePosition === null) {
             const maxNotePos = sql.getValue('SELECT MAX(notePosition) FROM branches WHERE parentNoteId = ? AND isDeleted = 0', [this.parentNoteId]);
             this.notePosition = maxNotePos === null ? 0 : maxNotePos + 10;
@@ -110,6 +111,13 @@ class Branch extends AbstractEntity {
 
         super.beforeSaving();
     }
+
+    markAsDeleted(deleteId = null) {
+        sql.execute("UPDATE branches SET isDeleted = 1, deleteId = ? WHERE branchId = ?",
+            [deleteId, this.branchId]);
+
+        // FIXME: this needs to be published into entity_changes (for sync and becca cleanup)
+    }
 }
 
 module.exports = Branch;
diff --git a/src/services/becca/entities/note.js b/src/services/becca/entities/note.js
index 81ddd201a..565e5c759 100644
--- a/src/services/becca/entities/note.js
+++ b/src/services/becca/entities/note.js
@@ -864,8 +864,8 @@ class Note extends AbstractEntity {
         this.utcDateModified = dateUtils.utcNowDateTime();
     }
 
-    markAsDeleted() {
-        sql.execute("UPDATE notes SET isDeleted = 1 WHERE noteId = ?", [this.noteId]);
+    markAsDeleted(deleteId = null) {
+        sql.execute("UPDATE notes SET isDeleted = 1, deleteId = ? WHERE noteId = ?", [deleteId, this.noteId]);
 
         // FIXME: this needs to be published into entity_changes (for sync and becca cleanup)
     }
diff --git a/src/services/consistency_checks.js b/src/services/consistency_checks.js
index c55c14c57..3b60f8d9b 100644
--- a/src/services/consistency_checks.js
+++ b/src/services/consistency_checks.js
@@ -103,8 +103,7 @@ class ConsistencyChecks {
             ({branchId, noteId}) => {
                 if (this.autoFix) {
                     const branch = becca.getBranch(branchId);
-                    branch.isDeleted = true;
-                    branch.save();
+                    branch.markAsDeleted();
 
                     logFix(`Branch ${branchId} has been deleted since it references missing note ${noteId}`);
                 } else {
@@ -140,8 +139,7 @@ class ConsistencyChecks {
             ({attributeId, noteId}) => {
                 if (this.autoFix) {
                     const attribute = becca.getAttribute(attributeId);
-                    attribute.isDeleted = true;
-                    attribute.save();
+                    attribute.markAsDeleted();
 
                     logFix(`Attribute ${attributeId} has been deleted since it references missing source note ${noteId}`);
                 } else {
@@ -159,8 +157,7 @@ class ConsistencyChecks {
             ({attributeId, noteId}) => {
                 if (this.autoFix) {
                     const attribute = becca.getAttribute(attributeId);
-                    attribute.isDeleted = true;
-                    attribute.save();
+                    attribute.markAsDeleted();
 
                     logFix(`Relation ${attributeId} has been deleted since it references missing note ${noteId}`)
                 } else {
@@ -185,8 +182,7 @@ class ConsistencyChecks {
             ({branchId, noteId}) => {
                 if (this.autoFix) {
                     const branch = becca.getBranch(branchId);
-                    branch.isDeleted = true;
-                    branch.save();
+                    branch.markAsDeleted();
 
                     logFix(`Branch ${branchId} has been deleted since associated note ${noteId} is deleted.`);
                 } else {
@@ -204,8 +200,7 @@ class ConsistencyChecks {
         `, ({branchId, parentNoteId}) => {
             if (this.autoFix) {
                 const branch = becca.getBranch(branchId);
-                branch.isDeleted = true;
-                branch.save();
+                branch.markAsDeleted();
 
                 logFix(`Branch ${branchId} has been deleted since associated parent note ${parentNoteId} is deleted.`);
             } else {
@@ -258,8 +253,7 @@ class ConsistencyChecks {
 
                     // delete all but the first branch
                     for (const branch of branches.slice(1)) {
-                        branch.isDeleted = true;
-                        branch.save();
+                        branch.markAsDeleted();
 
                         logFix(`Removing branch ${branch.branchId} since it's parent-child duplicate of branch ${origBranch.branchId}`);
                     }
@@ -388,8 +382,7 @@ class ConsistencyChecks {
             ({attributeId}) => {
                 if (this.autoFix) {
                     const relation = becca.getAttribute(attributeId);
-                    relation.isDeleted = true;
-                    relation.save();
+                    relation.markAsDeleted();
 
                     logFix(`Removed relation ${relation.attributeId} of name "${relation.name} with empty target.`);
                 } else {
@@ -426,8 +419,7 @@ class ConsistencyChecks {
             ({attributeId, noteId}) => {
                 if (this.autoFix) {
                     const attribute = becca.getAttribute(attributeId);
-                    attribute.isDeleted = true;
-                    attribute.save();
+                    attribute.markAsDeleted();
 
                     logFix(`Removed attribute ${attributeId} because owning note ${noteId} is also deleted.`);
                 } else {
@@ -446,8 +438,7 @@ class ConsistencyChecks {
             ({attributeId, targetNoteId}) => {
                 if (this.autoFix) {
                     const attribute = becca.getAttribute(attributeId);
-                    attribute.isDeleted = true;
-                    attribute.save();
+                    attribute.markAsDeleted();
 
                     logFix(`Removed attribute ${attributeId} because target note ${targetNoteId} is also deleted.`);
                 } else {
diff --git a/src/services/handlers.js b/src/services/handlers.js
index 829d89d8d..e41b1b2a5 100644
--- a/src/services/handlers.js
+++ b/src/services/handlers.js
@@ -154,8 +154,7 @@ eventService.subscribe(eventService.ENTITY_DELETED, ({ entityName, entity }) =>
                 note.invalidateAttributeCache();
                 targetNote.invalidateAttributeCache();
 
-                relation.isDeleted = true;
-                relation.save();
+                relation.markAsDeleted();
             }
         }
     });
diff --git a/src/services/notes.js b/src/services/notes.js
index a6ee511a9..a9e9789cb 100644
--- a/src/services/notes.js
+++ b/src/services/notes.js
@@ -532,9 +532,7 @@ function deleteBranch(branch, deleteId, taskContext) {
         throw new Error("Can't delete root branch/note");
     }
 
-    branch.isDeleted = true;
-    branch.deleteId = deleteId;
-    branch.save();
+    branch.markAsDeleted(deleteId);
 
     const note = branch.getNote();
     const notDeletedBranches = note.getBranches();
@@ -546,22 +544,16 @@ function deleteBranch(branch, deleteId, taskContext) {
 
         // first delete children and then parent - this will show up better in recent changes
 
-        note.isDeleted = true;
-        note.deleteId = deleteId;
-        note.save();
+        note.markAsDeleted(deleteId);
 
         log.info("Deleting note " + note.noteId);
 
         for (const attribute of note.getOwnedAttributes()) {
-            attribute.isDeleted = true;
-            attribute.deleteId = deleteId;
-            attribute.save();
+            attribute.markAsDeleted(deleteId);
         }
 
         for (const relation of note.getTargetRelations()) {
-            relation.isDeleted = true;
-            relation.deleteId = deleteId;
-            relation.save();
+            relation.markAsDeleted(deleteId);
         }
 
         return true;
diff --git a/src/services/tree.js b/src/services/tree.js
index a0cecf7f7..a5f1be02b 100644
--- a/src/services/tree.js
+++ b/src/services/tree.js
@@ -196,14 +196,13 @@ function setNoteToParent(noteId, prefix, parentNoteId) {
 
     if (branch) {
         if (!parentNoteId) {
-            branch.isDeleted = true;
+            branch.markAsDeleted();
         }
         else {
             branch.parentNoteId = parentNoteId;
             branch.prefix = prefix;
+            branch.save();
         }
-
-        branch.save();
     }
     else if (parentNoteId) {
         const note = becca.getNote(noteId);