diff --git a/src/groups.js b/src/groups.js
index 80d34429d..c079e715a 100644
--- a/src/groups.js
+++ b/src/groups.js
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ var assert = require('assert'),
     constants = require('./constants.js'),
     DatabaseError = require('./databaseerror.js'),
     groupdb = require('./groupdb.js'),
+    mailboxdb = require('./mailboxdb.js'),
     util = require('util');
 
 // http://dustinsenos.com/articles/customErrorsInNode
@@ -77,11 +78,16 @@ function create(name, callback) {
     var error = validateGroupname(name);
     if (error) return callback(error);
 
-    groupdb.add(name /* id */, name, function (error) {
+    mailboxdb.add(name, name /* owner */, mailboxdb.TYPE_GROUP, function (error) {
         if (error && error.reason === DatabaseError.ALREADY_EXISTS) return callback(new GroupError(GroupError.ALREADY_EXISTS));
         if (error) return callback(new GroupError(GroupError.INTERNAL_ERROR, error));
 
-        callback(null, { id: name, name: name });
+        groupdb.add(name /* id */, name, function (error) {
+            if (error && error.reason === DatabaseError.ALREADY_EXISTS) return callback(new GroupError(GroupError.ALREADY_EXISTS));
+            if (error) return callback(new GroupError(GroupError.INTERNAL_ERROR, error));
+
+            callback(null, { id: name, name: name });
+        });
     });
 }
 
@@ -92,11 +98,16 @@ function remove(id, callback) {
     // never allow admin group to be deleted
     if (id === constants.ADMIN_GROUP_ID) return callback(new GroupError(GroupError.NOT_ALLOWED));
 
-    groupdb.del(id, function (error) {
+    mailboxdb.delByOwnerId(id, function (error) {
         if (error && error.reason === DatabaseError.NOT_FOUND) return callback(new GroupError(GroupError.NOT_FOUND));
         if (error) return callback(new GroupError(GroupError.INTERNAL_ERROR, error));
 
-        callback(null);
+        groupdb.del(id, function (error) {
+            if (error && error.reason === DatabaseError.NOT_FOUND) return callback(new GroupError(GroupError.NOT_FOUND));
+            if (error) return callback(new GroupError(GroupError.INTERNAL_ERROR, error));
+
+            callback(null);
+        });
     });
 }
 
diff --git a/src/mailboxdb.js b/src/mailboxdb.js
index decd809d7..2cd696d8d 100644
--- a/src/mailboxdb.js
+++ b/src/mailboxdb.js
@@ -7,8 +7,13 @@ exports = module.exports = {
     getAll: getAll,
     getAliases: getAliases,
     setAliases: setAliases,
+    delByOwnerId: delByOwnerId,
 
-    _clear: clear
+    _clear: clear,
+
+    TYPE_USER: 'user',
+    TYPE_APP: 'app',
+    TYPE_GROUP: 'group'
 };
 
 var assert = require('assert'),
@@ -18,11 +23,13 @@ var assert = require('assert'),
 
 var MAILBOX_FIELDS = [ 'name', 'ownerId', 'ownerType', 'aliasTarget', 'creationTime' ].join(',');
 
-function add(name, callback) {
+function add(name, ownerId, ownerType, callback) {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof name, 'string');
+    assert.strictEqual(typeof ownerId, 'string');
+    assert.strictEqual(typeof ownerType, 'string');
     assert.strictEqual(typeof callback, 'function');
 
-    database.query('INSERT INTO mailboxes (name) VALUES (?)', [ name ], function (error) {
+    database.query('INSERT INTO mailboxes (name, ownerId, ownerType) VALUES (?, ?, ?)', [ name, ownerId, ownerType ], function (error) {
         if (error && error.code === 'ER_DUP_ENTRY') return callback(new DatabaseError(DatabaseError.ALREADY_EXISTS));
         if (error) return callback(new DatabaseError(DatabaseError.INTERNAL_ERROR, error));
 
@@ -52,6 +59,19 @@ function del(name, callback) {
     });
 }
 
+function delByOwnerId(id, callback) {
+    assert.strictEqual(typeof id, 'string');
+    assert.strictEqual(typeof callback, 'function');
+
+    // deletes aliases as well
+    database.query('DELETE FROM mailboxes WHERE ownerId=?', [ id ], function (error, result) {
+        if (error) return callback(new DatabaseError(DatabaseError.INTERNAL_ERROR, error));
+        if (result.affectedRows === 0) return callback(new DatabaseError(DatabaseError.NOT_FOUND));
+
+        callback(null);
+    });
+}
+
 function postProcess(result) {
     result.aliases = result.aliases ? result.aliases.split(',') : [ ];
 }
@@ -94,16 +114,18 @@ function getAll(callback) {
     });
 }
 
-function setAliases(name, aliases, callback) {
+function setAliases(name, aliases, ownerId, ownerType, callback) {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof name, 'string');
     assert(util.isArray(aliases));
+    assert.strictEqual(typeof ownerId, 'string');
+    assert.strictEqual(typeof ownerType, 'string');
     assert.strictEqual(typeof callback, 'function');
 
     // also cleanup the groupMembers table
     var queries = [];
     queries.push({ query: 'DELETE FROM mailboxes WHERE aliasTarget = ?', args: [ name ] });
     aliases.forEach(function (alias) {
-        queries.push({ query: 'INSERT INTO mailboxes (name, aliasTarget) VALUES (?, ?)', args: [ alias, name ] });
+        queries.push({ query: 'INSERT INTO mailboxes (name, aliasTarget, ownerId, ownerType) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?)', args: [ alias, name, ownerId, ownerType ] });
     });
 
     database.transaction(queries, function (error) {
diff --git a/src/mailboxes.js b/src/mailboxes.js
index 8516e2a5d..e87861bcc 100644
--- a/src/mailboxes.js
+++ b/src/mailboxes.js
@@ -8,16 +8,12 @@ exports = module.exports = {
     setAliases: setAliases,
     getAliases: getAliases,
 
-    setupAliases: setupAliases,
-
     MailboxError: MailboxError
 };
 
 var assert = require('assert'),
-    async = require('async'),
     DatabaseError = require('./databaseerror.js'),
     debug = require('debug')('box:mailboxes'),
-    docker = require('./docker.js'),
     mailboxdb = require('./mailboxdb.js'),
     util = require('util');
 
@@ -85,35 +81,17 @@ function add(name, callback) {
     });
 }
 
-function pushAlias(name, aliases, callback) {
-    if (process.env.BOX_ENV === 'test') return callback();
-
-    var cmd = [ '/addons/mail/service.sh', 'set-alias', name ].concat(aliases);
-
-    debug('pushing alias for %s : %j', name, aliases);
-
-    docker.execContainer('mail', cmd, { }, function (error) {
-        if (error) return callback(new MailboxError(MailboxError.EXTERNAL_ERROR, error));
-
-        callback();
-    });
-}
-
 function del(name, callback) {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof name, 'string');
     assert.strictEqual(typeof callback, 'function');
 
-    pushAlias(name, [ ], function (error) {
-        if (error) return callback(error);
+    mailboxdb.del(name, function (error) {
+        if (error && error.reason === DatabaseError.NOT_FOUND) return callback(new MailboxError(MailboxError.NOT_FOUND));
+        if (error) return callback(new MailboxError(MailboxError.INTERNAL_ERROR, error));
 
-        mailboxdb.del(name, function (error) {
-            if (error && error.reason === DatabaseError.NOT_FOUND) return callback(new MailboxError(MailboxError.NOT_FOUND));
-            if (error) return callback(new MailboxError(MailboxError.INTERNAL_ERROR, error));
+        debug('deleted mailbox %s', name);
 
-            debug('deleted mailbox %s', name);
-
-            callback();
-        });
+        callback();
     });
 }
 
@@ -151,17 +129,13 @@ function setAliases(name, aliases, callback) {
         if (error) return callback(error);
     }
 
-    pushAlias(name, aliases, function (error) {
-        if (error) return callback(error);
-
-        mailboxdb.setAliases(name, aliases, function (error) {
-            if (error && error.reason === DatabaseError.ALREADY_EXISTS) return callback(new MailboxError(MailboxError.ALREADY_EXISTS, error.message));
-            if (error && error.reason === DatabaseError.NOT_FOUND) return callback(new MailboxError(MailboxError.NOT_FOUND));
-            if (error) return callback(new MailboxError(MailboxError.INTERNAL_ERROR, error));
+    mailboxdb.setAliases(name, aliases, function (error) {
+        if (error && error.reason === DatabaseError.ALREADY_EXISTS) return callback(new MailboxError(MailboxError.ALREADY_EXISTS, error.message));
+        if (error && error.reason === DatabaseError.NOT_FOUND) return callback(new MailboxError(MailboxError.NOT_FOUND));
+        if (error) return callback(new MailboxError(MailboxError.INTERNAL_ERROR, error));
 
 
-            callback(null);
-        });
+        callback(null);
     });
 }
 
@@ -176,23 +150,3 @@ function getAliases(name, callback) {
         callback(null, aliases);
     });
 }
-
-// push aliases to the mail container on startup
-function setupAliases(callback) {
-    assert.strictEqual(typeof callback, 'function');
-
-    getAll(function (error, mailboxes) {
-        if (error) return callback(error);
-
-        async.each(mailboxes, function (mailbox, iteratorDone) {
-            getAliases(mailbox.name, function (error, aliases) {
-                if (error) return iteratorDone(error);
-
-                if (aliases.length === 0) return iteratorDone();
-
-                pushAlias(mailbox.name, aliases, iteratorDone);
-            });
-        }, callback);
-    });
-}
-
diff --git a/src/platform.js b/src/platform.js
index 0a4ecdba1..9d4474989 100644
--- a/src/platform.js
+++ b/src/platform.js
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ var apps = require('./apps.js'),
     fs = require('fs'),
     hat = require('hat'),
     infra = require('./infra_version.js'),
-    mailboxes = require('./mailboxes.js'),
     paths = require('./paths.js'),
     safe = require('safetydance'),
     settings = require('./settings.js'),
@@ -262,22 +261,18 @@ function startMail(callback) {
 
             shell.execSync('startMail', cmd);
 
-            mailboxes.setupAliases(function (error) {
-                if (error) return callback(error);
+            if (!mailConfig.enabled || process.env.BOX_ENV === 'test') return callback();
 
-                if (!mailConfig.enabled || process.env.BOX_ENV === 'test') return callback();
+            // Add MX and DMARC record. Note that DMARC policy depends on DKIM signing and thus works
+            // only if we use our internal mail server.
+            var records = [
+                { subdomain: '_dmarc', type: 'TXT', values: [ '"v=DMARC1; p=reject; pct=100"' ] },
+                { subdomain: '', type: 'MX', values: [ '10 ' + config.mailFqdn() + '.' ] }
+            ];
 
-                // Add MX and DMARC record. Note that DMARC policy depends on DKIM signing and thus works
-                // only if we use our internal mail server.
-                var records = [
-                    { subdomain: '_dmarc', type: 'TXT', values: [ '"v=DMARC1; p=reject; pct=100"' ] },
-                    { subdomain: '', type: 'MX', values: [ '10 ' + config.mailFqdn() + '.' ] }
-                ];
-
-                async.mapSeries(records, function (record, iteratorCallback) {
-                    subdomains.upsert(record.subdomain, record.type, record.values, iteratorCallback);
-                }, callback);
-            });
+            async.mapSeries(records, function (record, iteratorCallback) {
+                subdomains.upsert(record.subdomain, record.type, record.values, iteratorCallback);
+            }, callback);
         });
     });
 }
diff --git a/src/test/database-test.js b/src/test/database-test.js
index 8ab5ac51f..d66e932d9 100644
--- a/src/test/database-test.js
+++ b/src/test/database-test.js
@@ -1181,14 +1181,14 @@ describe('database', function () {
 
     describe('mailboxes', function () {
         it('add succeeds', function (done) {
-            mailboxdb.add('support', function (error, mailbox) {
+            mailboxdb.add('support', 'osticket', mailboxdb.TYPE_APP, function (error, mailbox) {
                 expect(error).to.be(null);
                 done();
             });
         });
 
         it('cannot add dup entry', function (done) {
-            mailboxdb.add('support', function (error, mailbox) {
+            mailboxdb.add('support', 'support', mailboxdb.TYPE_USER, function (error, mailbox) {
                 expect(error.reason).to.be(DatabaseError.ALREADY_EXISTS);
                 done();
             });
@@ -1216,27 +1216,27 @@ describe('database', function () {
         });
 
         it('can set alias', function (done) {
-            mailboxdb.setAliases('support2', [ 'support2', 'help' ], function (error) {
+            mailboxdb.setAliases('support', [ 'support2', 'help' ], 'support', 'user', function (error) {
                 expect(error).to.be(null);
                 done();
             });
         });
 
         it('can get alias', function (done) {
-            mailboxdb.getAliases('support2', function (error, results) {
+            mailboxdb.getAliases('support', function (error, results) {
                 expect(error).to.be(null);
                 expect(results.length).to.be(2);
                 expect(results[0]).to.be('help');
-                expect(results[1]).to.be('support2')
+                expect(results[1]).to.be('support2');
                 done();
             });
         });
 
         it('unset aliases', function (done) {
-            mailboxdb.setAliases('support2', [ ], function (error) {
+            mailboxdb.setAliases('support', [ ], 'support', 'user', function (error) {
                 expect(error).to.be(null);
 
-                mailboxdb.getAliases('support2', function (error, results) {
+                mailboxdb.getAliases('support', function (error, results) {
                     expect(error).to.be(null);
                     expect(results.length).to.be(0);
                     done();
@@ -1252,4 +1252,3 @@ describe('database', function () {
         });
     });
 });
-
diff --git a/src/user.js b/src/user.js
index 487b5ed68..eeb9e2abf 100644
--- a/src/user.js
+++ b/src/user.js
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ var assert = require('assert'),
     GroupError = groups.GroupError,
     hat = require('hat'),
     mailer = require('./mailer.js'),
-    mailboxes = require('./mailboxes.js'),
+    mailboxdb = require('./mailboxdb.js'),
     safe = require('safetydance'),
     tokendb = require('./tokendb.js'),
     userdb = require('./userdb.js'),
@@ -51,6 +51,12 @@ var CRYPTO_KEY_LENGTH = 512; // bits
 
 var NOOP_CALLBACK = function (error) { if (error) debug(error); };
 
+function asyncIf(cond, func, next) {
+    if (!cond) return next();
+
+    func(next);
+}
+
 // http://dustinsenos.com/articles/customErrorsInNode
 // http://code.google.com/p/v8/wiki/JavaScriptStackTraceApi
 function UserError(reason, errorOrMessage) {
@@ -176,17 +182,23 @@ function createUser(username, password, email, displayName, auditSource, options
                 showTutorial: true
             };
 
-            userdb.add(user.id, user, function (error) {
+            asyncIf(!!username, mailboxdb.add.bind(null, username, user.id /* owner */, mailboxdb.TYPE_USER), function (error) {
+                if (error) return callback(error);
+
                 if (error && error.reason === DatabaseError.ALREADY_EXISTS) return callback(new UserError(UserError.ALREADY_EXISTS, error.message));
                 if (error) return callback(new UserError(UserError.INTERNAL_ERROR, error));
 
-                eventlog.add(eventlog.ACTION_USER_ADD, auditSource, { userId: user.id, email: user.email });
-                if (username) mailboxes.add(username, NOOP_CALLBACK);
+                userdb.add(user.id, user, function (error) {
+                    if (error && error.reason === DatabaseError.ALREADY_EXISTS) return callback(new UserError(UserError.ALREADY_EXISTS, error.message));
+                    if (error) return callback(new UserError(UserError.INTERNAL_ERROR, error));
 
-                callback(null, user);
+                    eventlog.add(eventlog.ACTION_USER_ADD, auditSource, { userId: user.id, email: user.email });
 
-                if (!owner) mailer.userAdded(user, sendInvite);
-                if (sendInvite) mailer.sendInvite(user, invitor);
+                    callback(null, user);
+
+                    if (!owner) mailer.userAdded(user, sendInvite);
+                    if (sendInvite) mailer.sendInvite(user, invitor);
+                });
             });
         });
     });
@@ -272,9 +284,8 @@ function removeUser(userId, auditSource, callback) {
             if (error) return callback(new UserError(UserError.INTERNAL_ERROR, error));
 
             eventlog.add(eventlog.ACTION_USER_REMOVE, auditSource, { userId: userId });
-            if (user.username) mailboxes.del(user.username, NOOP_CALLBACK);
 
-            callback(null);
+            if (user.username) mailboxdb.delByOwnerId(user.id, callback); else callback();
 
             mailer.userRemoved(user);
         });
@@ -361,16 +372,26 @@ function updateUser(userId, data, auditSource, callback) {
         if (error) return callback(error);
     }
 
-    userdb.update(userId, data, function (error) {
+    function doUpdate(error, callback) {
         if (error && error.reason === DatabaseError.ALREADY_EXISTS) return callback(new UserError(UserError.ALREADY_EXISTS, error.message));
-        if (error && error.reason === DatabaseError.NOT_FOUND) return callback(new UserError(UserError.NOT_FOUND, error));
         if (error) return callback(new UserError(UserError.INTERNAL_ERROR, error));
 
-        eventlog.add(eventlog.ACTION_USER_UPDATE, auditSource, { userId: userId });
-        if (data.username) mailboxes.add(data.username, NOOP_CALLBACK); // TODO: do this only when username actually changes
+        userdb.update(userId, data, function (error) {
+            if (error && error.reason === DatabaseError.ALREADY_EXISTS) return callback(new UserError(UserError.ALREADY_EXISTS, error.message));
+            if (error && error.reason === DatabaseError.NOT_FOUND) return callback(new UserError(UserError.NOT_FOUND, error));
+            if (error) return callback(new UserError(UserError.INTERNAL_ERROR, error));
 
-        callback(null);
-    });
+            eventlog.add(eventlog.ACTION_USER_UPDATE, auditSource, { userId: userId });
+
+            callback(null);
+        });
+    }
+
+    if (data.username) {
+        mailboxdb.add(data.username, userId /* owner */, mailboxdb.TYPE_USER, doUpdate);  // TODO: do this only when username actually changes
+    } else {
+        doUpdate(null, callback);
+    }
 }
 
 function setGroups(userId, groupIds, callback) {