diff --git a/lib/message/mu-flags.cc b/lib/message/mu-flags.cc
index 549fa2ee..bd3e57e6 100644
--- a/lib/message/mu-flags.cc
+++ b/lib/message/mu-flags.cc
@@ -150,6 +150,18 @@ test_flags_filter()
 }
 
 
+
+[[maybe_unused]] static void
+test_flags_keep_unmutable()
+{
+	static_assert(flags_keep_unmutable((Flags::Seen|Flags::Passed),
+					   (Flags::Flagged|Flags::Draft),
+					   Flags::Replied) ==
+		      (Flags::Flagged|Flags::Draft));
+}
+
+
+
 #ifdef BUILD_TESTS
 int
 main(int argc, char* argv[])
@@ -164,6 +176,8 @@ main(int argc, char* argv[])
 			test_flags_from_delta_expr);
 	g_test_add_func("/message/flags/flags-filter",
 			test_flags_filter);
+	g_test_add_func("/message/flags/flags-keep-unmutable",
+			test_flags_keep_unmutable);
 
 	return g_test_run();
 }
diff --git a/lib/message/mu-flags.hh b/lib/message/mu-flags.hh
index 0ac6496d..2ef1feb2 100644
--- a/lib/message/mu-flags.hh
+++ b/lib/message/mu-flags.hh
@@ -338,6 +338,28 @@ flags_filter(Flags flags, MessageFlagCategory cat)
 	return flags;
 }
 
+
+
+/**
+ * Return flags, where flags = new_flags but with unmutable_flag in the
+ * result the same as in old_flags
+ *
+ * @param old_flags
+ * @param new_flags
+ * @param unmutable_flag
+ *
+ * @return
+ */
+constexpr Flags
+flags_keep_unmutable(Flags old_flags, Flags new_flags, Flags unmutable_flag)
+{
+    if (any_of(old_flags & unmutable_flag))
+	return new_flags | unmutable_flag;
+    else
+	return new_flags & ~unmutable_flag;
+}
+
+
 /**
  * Get a string representation of flags
  *