diff --git a/data/actionsmap/yunohost.yml b/data/actionsmap/yunohost.yml
index 79cc7cdaa..08478e2b4 100644
--- a/data/actionsmap/yunohost.yml
+++ b/data/actionsmap/yunohost.yml
@@ -148,6 +148,7 @@ user:
                     extra:
                         pattern: *pattern_username
                 --purge:
+                    help: Purge user's home and mail directories
                     action: store_true
 
         ### user_update()
diff --git a/src/yunohost/user.py b/src/yunohost/user.py
index ebed6dbd2..a38f0b4c5 100644
--- a/src/yunohost/user.py
+++ b/src/yunohost/user.py
@@ -251,6 +251,7 @@ def user_delete(operation_logger, auth, username, purge=False):
         if auth.update('cn=sftpusers,ou=groups', {'memberUid': memberlist}):
             if purge:
                 subprocess.call(['rm', '-rf', '/home/{0}'.format(username)])
+                subprocess.call(['rm', '-rf', '/var/mail/{0}'.format(username)])
     else:
         raise YunohostError('user_deletion_failed')