diff --git a/src/libsync/discovery.cpp b/src/libsync/discovery.cpp
index e842f82540808..ec4beb1234b61 100644
--- a/src/libsync/discovery.cpp
+++ b/src/libsync/discovery.cpp
@@ -1672,7 +1672,8 @@ void ProcessDirectoryJob::processFileFinalize(
     if (_discoveryData->_syncOptions._vfs &&
         (item->_type == CSyncEnums::ItemTypeFile || item->_type == CSyncEnums::ItemTypeDirectory) &&
         item->_instruction == CSyncEnums::CSYNC_INSTRUCTION_NONE &&
-        FileSystem::isLnkFile((_discoveryData->_localDir + path._local))) {
+        FileSystem::isLnkFile((_discoveryData->_localDir + path._local)) &&
+        !_discoveryData->_syncOptions._vfs->isPlaceHolderInSync(_discoveryData->_localDir + path._local)) {
         item->_instruction = CSyncEnums::CSYNC_INSTRUCTION_SYNC;
         item->_direction = SyncFileItem::Down;
         item->_type = CSyncEnums::ItemTypeVirtualFileDehydration;
@@ -2204,20 +2205,24 @@ void ProcessDirectoryJob::setupDbPinStateActions(SyncJournalFileRecord &record)
 {
     // Only suffix-vfs uses the db for pin states.
     // Other plugins will set localEntry._type according to the file's pin state.
-    if (!isVfsWithSuffix())
+    if (!isVfsWithSuffix()) {
         return;
+    }
 
     auto pin = _discoveryData->_statedb->internalPinStates().rawForPath(record._path);
-    if (!pin || *pin == PinState::Inherited)
+    if (!pin || *pin == PinState::Inherited) {
         pin = _pinState;
+    }
 
     // OnlineOnly hydrated files want to be dehydrated
-    if (record._type == ItemTypeFile && *pin == PinState::OnlineOnly)
+    if (record._type == ItemTypeFile && *pin == PinState::OnlineOnly) {
         record._type = ItemTypeVirtualFileDehydration;
+    }
 
     // AlwaysLocal dehydrated files want to be hydrated
-    if (record._type == ItemTypeVirtualFile && *pin == PinState::AlwaysLocal)
+    if (record._type == ItemTypeVirtualFile && *pin == PinState::AlwaysLocal) {
         record._type = ItemTypeVirtualFileDownload;
+    }
 }
 
 }
diff --git a/src/libsync/propagatorjobs.cpp b/src/libsync/propagatorjobs.cpp
index 6d7a36c9404b6..408d85623eaf6 100644
--- a/src/libsync/propagatorjobs.cpp
+++ b/src/libsync/propagatorjobs.cpp
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ void PropagateLocalRemove::start()
 
     QString removeError;
     const auto availability = propagator()->syncOptions()._vfs->availability(_item->_file, Vfs::AvailabilityRecursivity::RecursiveAvailability);
-    if (_moveToTrash && (!availability || (*availability != VfsItemAvailability::AllDehydrated && *availability != VfsItemAvailability::OnlineOnly && *availability != VfsItemAvailability::Mixed))) {
+    if (_moveToTrash && propagator()->syncOptions()._vfs->mode() != OCC::Vfs::WindowsCfApi) {
         if ((QDir(filename).exists() || FileSystem::fileExists(filename))
             && !FileSystem::moveToTrash(filename, &removeError)) {
             done(SyncFileItem::NormalError, removeError, ErrorCategory::GenericError);