diff --git a/src/imap_client.php b/src/imap_client.php
index 44a1fde..ab6052f 100644
--- a/src/imap_client.php
+++ b/src/imap_client.php
@@ -24,4 +24,21 @@ class ImapClient {
         $emails = _load_emails($mail_ids, $user);
         return $emails;
     }
+
+
+    /**
+     * deletes emails by id and username. The address must match the recipient in the email.
+     *
+     * @param $mailid integer imap email id
+     * @param $user User
+     * @internal param the $username matching username
+     */
+    function delete_email(string $mailid, User $user) {
+        if (_load_one_email($mailid, $user) !== null) {
+            $this->mailbox->deleteMail($mailid);
+            $this->mailbox->expungeDeletedMails();
+        } else {
+            error(404, 'delete error: invalid username/mailid combination');
+        }
+    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/index.php b/src/index.php
index b3f3bab..4cbd5b8 100644
--- a/src/index.php
+++ b/src/index.php
@@ -40,23 +40,6 @@ function error($status, $text) {
 
 
 
-/**
- * deletes emails by id and username. The address must match the recipient in the email.
- *
- * @param $mailid integer imap email id
- * @param $user User
- * @internal param the $username matching username
- */
-function delete_email($mailid, $user) {
-    global $mailbox;
-
-    if (_load_one_email($mailid, $user) !== null) {
-        $mailbox->deleteMail($mailid);
-        $mailbox->expungeDeletedMails();
-    } else {
-        error(404, 'delete error: invalid username/mailid combination');
-    }
-}
 
 /**
  * download email by id and username. The $address must match the recipient in the email.
diff --git a/src/pages.php b/src/pages.php
index 8e09a5e..a5140e5 100644
--- a/src/pages.php
+++ b/src/pages.php
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ class DeleteEmailPage extends Page {
         $this->if_invalid_redirect_to_random($user, $this->config_domains);
 
         $delete_email_id = filter_var($this->email_id, FILTER_SANITIZE_NUMBER_INT);
-        delete_email($delete_email_id, $user);
+        $imapClient->delete_email($delete_email_id, $user);
         header("location: ?" . $user->address);
     }
 }