diff --git a/src/com/android/email/provider/EmailProvider.java b/src/com/android/email/provider/EmailProvider.java
index 5cb2d31d0..2a3b0eb06 100644
--- a/src/com/android/email/provider/EmailProvider.java
+++ b/src/com/android/email/provider/EmailProvider.java
@@ -1042,7 +1042,12 @@ public class EmailProvider extends ContentProvider {
             Log.v(TAG, "EmailProvider.insert: uri=" + uri + ", match is " + match);
         }
 
-        removeAutoColumnsFromContentValues(match, values);
+        // We do NOT allow setting of unreadCount/messageCount via the provider
+        // These columns are maintained via triggers
+        if (match == MAILBOX_ID || match == MAILBOX) {
+            values.put(MailboxColumns.UNREAD_COUNT, 0);
+            values.put(MailboxColumns.MESSAGE_COUNT, 0);
+        }
 
         Uri resultUri = null;
 
@@ -1261,7 +1266,12 @@ public class EmailProvider extends ContentProvider {
             Log.v(TAG, "EmailProvider.update: uri=" + uri + ", match is " + match);
         }
 
-        removeAutoColumnsFromContentValues(match, values);
+        // We do NOT allow setting of unreadCount/messageCount via the provider
+        // These columns are maintained via triggers
+        if (match == MAILBOX_ID || match == MAILBOX) {
+            values.remove(MailboxColumns.UNREAD_COUNT);
+            values.remove(MailboxColumns.MESSAGE_COUNT);
+        }
 
         String id;
         try {
@@ -1344,15 +1354,6 @@ public class EmailProvider extends ContentProvider {
         return result;
     }
 
-    private static void removeAutoColumnsFromContentValues(int match, ContentValues values) {
-        // We do NOT allow setting of unreadCount/messageCount via the provider
-        // These columns are maintained via triggers
-        if (match == MAILBOX_ID || match == MAILBOX) {
-            values.remove(MailboxColumns.UNREAD_COUNT);
-            values.remove(MailboxColumns.MESSAGE_COUNT);
-        }
-    }
-
     /* (non-Javadoc)
      * @see android.content.ContentProvider#applyBatch(android.content.ContentProviderOperation)
      */
diff --git a/tests/src/com/android/email/provider/ProviderTests.java b/tests/src/com/android/email/provider/ProviderTests.java
index c1289cdc2..4704afc8b 100644
--- a/tests/src/com/android/email/provider/ProviderTests.java
+++ b/tests/src/com/android/email/provider/ProviderTests.java
@@ -1849,7 +1849,9 @@ public class ProviderTests extends ProviderTestCase2<EmailProvider> {
         ContentValues values = new ContentValues();
         values.put(MailboxColumns.MESSAGE_COUNT, -1);
 
-        getProvider().update(Mailbox.CONTENT_URI, values, null, null);
+        // EmailProvider.update() doesn't allow updating messageCount, so directly use the DB.
+        SQLiteDatabase db = getProvider().getDatabase(mMockContext);
+        db.update(Mailbox.TABLE_NAME, values, null, null);
     }
 
     /**