diff --git a/docs/changelog/7.x.x.txt b/docs/changelog/7.x.x.txt
index 5f7802238..78aaf0e40 100644
--- a/docs/changelog/7.x.x.txt
+++ b/docs/changelog/7.x.x.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 7.10.3
  - fixed #11903: Unnecessary debug in Thingy
  - fixed #11908: Inbox messages linger after deleting a user
+ - fixed #11909: Wrong message count in the inbox
 
 7.10.2
  - fixed #11884: Editing Templates impossible / Code editor not loaded
diff --git a/lib/WebGUI/Inbox.pm b/lib/WebGUI/Inbox.pm
index 77d9cc6df..00a2edf44 100644
--- a/lib/WebGUI/Inbox.pm
+++ b/lib/WebGUI/Inbox.pm
@@ -499,20 +499,13 @@ ibox.messageId, ibox.subject, ibox.sentBy, ibox.dateStamp,
 SELECT
     }
 
-    my $messageLimit = 20_000;
-    my $limitHalf    = $messageLimit / 2;
-    my $limitQuarter = $messageLimit / 4;
-    my $userGroups   = $session->db->quoteAndJoin( $user->getGroupIdsRecursive );
-    $userGroups      = "''" if $userGroups eq "";
-
-    # for performance purposes don't use datasets larger than 20000 no matter how man messages are in the inbox
     my $sql = qq{
         SELECT
             $select
         FROM inbox_messageState
         JOIN inbox ibox USING (messageId)
-        JOIN users on users.userId = ibox.sentBy
-        JOIN userProfileData on userProfileData.userId = ibox.sentBy
+        LEFT OUTER JOIN users on users.userId = ibox.sentBy
+        LEFT OUTER JOIN userProfileData on userProfileData.userId = ibox.sentBy
         WHERE inbox_messageState.messageId = ibox.messageId 
         AND   inbox_messageState.userId    = '$userId' 
         AND   inbox_messageState.deleted   = 0
diff --git a/t/Inbox.t b/t/Inbox.t
index ea7989b29..1135f146f 100644
--- a/t/Inbox.t
+++ b/t/Inbox.t
@@ -17,13 +17,13 @@ use WebGUI::Session;
 use WebGUI::Inbox;
 use WebGUI::User;
 
-use Test::More tests => 15; # increment this value for each test you create
+use Test::More tests => 20; # increment this value for each test you create
 
 my $session = WebGUI::Test->session;
 
 # get a user so we can test retrieving messages for a specific user
 my $admin = WebGUI::User->new($session, 3);
-WebGUI::Test->addToCleanup(sub { WebGUI::Test->cleanupAdminInbox; });
+WebGUI::Test->addToCleanup(sub { WebGUI::Test->cleanupAdminInbox($session); });
 
 # Begin tests by getting an inbox object
 my $inbox = WebGUI::Inbox->new($session); 
@@ -132,4 +132,25 @@ my $messages = $inbox->getMessagesForUser($admin);
 $messages->[0]->setRead($admin->userId);
 is($inbox->getUnreadMessageCount($admin->userId), 3, '... really tracks unread messages');
 
+is(scalar @{ $inbox->getMessagesForUser($admin) }, 4, 'Four messages in the inbox');
+$inbox->deleteMessagesForUser($admin);
+is(scalar @{ $inbox->getMessagesForUser($admin) }, 0, 'deleteMessagesForUser removed all messages');
+
+my $dead_user = WebGUI::User->create($session);
+WebGUI::Test->addToCleanup($dead_user);
+$inbox->addMessage({
+    message => "This method should be removed",
+    userId  => 3,
+    sentBy  => $dead_user->userId,
+    status  => 'unread',
+},{
+    no_email => 1,
+});
+
+is(scalar @{ $inbox->getMessagesForUser($admin) }, 1, 'one message from dead_user in the inbox');
+$dead_user->delete;
+is(scalar @{ $inbox->getMessagesForUser($admin) }, 1, '... after deleting the user, still 1 message');
+$inbox->deleteMessagesForUser($admin);
+is(scalar @{ $inbox->getMessagesForUser($admin) }, 0, '... after deleteMessagesForUser, all messages gone again');
+
 #vim:ft=perl