diff --git a/packages/syncing-server/src/Domain/Item/SaveRule/GroupFilter.ts b/packages/syncing-server/src/Domain/Item/SaveRule/GroupFilter.ts
index d93b3c974..82d21d930 100644
--- a/packages/syncing-server/src/Domain/Item/SaveRule/GroupFilter.ts
+++ b/packages/syncing-server/src/Domain/Item/SaveRule/GroupFilter.ts
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ export class GroupFilter implements ItemSaveRuleInterface {
       }
     }
 
-    const usesValidKey = await this.incomingItemUsesValidItemsKey(dto.itemHash)
+    const usesValidKey = await this.incomingItemUsesValidItemsKey(dto.itemHash, dto.existingItem.groupUuid)
     if (!usesValidKey) {
       return {
         passed: false,
@@ -80,14 +80,17 @@ export class GroupFilter implements ItemSaveRuleInterface {
     return true
   }
 
-  private async incomingItemUsesValidItemsKey(itemHash: ItemHash): Promise<boolean> {
+  private async incomingItemUsesValidItemsKey(itemHash: ItemHash, groupUuid: string): Promise<boolean> {
+    if (itemHash.deleted) {
+      return true
+    }
+
     const isItemNotEncryptedByItemsKey = itemHash.content_type === ContentType.VaultItemsKey
     if (isItemNotEncryptedByItemsKey) {
       return true
     }
 
-    const group = await this.groupService.getGroup({ groupUuid: itemHash.vault_system_identifier as string })
-
+    const group = await this.groupService.getGroup({ groupUuid: groupUuid })
     if (!group) {
       return false
     }
diff --git a/packages/syncing-server/src/Domain/Item/SyncResponse/SyncResponseFactory20161215.ts b/packages/syncing-server/src/Domain/Item/SyncResponse/SyncResponseFactory20161215.ts
index 430259159..811a74711 100644
--- a/packages/syncing-server/src/Domain/Item/SyncResponse/SyncResponseFactory20161215.ts
+++ b/packages/syncing-server/src/Domain/Item/SyncResponse/SyncResponseFactory20161215.ts
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ export class SyncResponseFactory20161215 implements SyncResponseFactoryInterface
     for (const conflict of pickOutConflictsResult.unsavedItems) {
       unsaved.push({
         item: conflict.serverItem
-          ? <ItemProjection>await this.itemProjector.projectFull(conflict.serverItem)
+          ? <ItemProjection>this.itemProjector.projectFull(conflict.serverItem)
           : <ItemHash>conflict.unsavedItem,
         error: {
           tag: conflict.type,
@@ -38,12 +38,12 @@ export class SyncResponseFactory20161215 implements SyncResponseFactoryInterface
 
     const retrievedItems = []
     for (const item of pickOutConflictsResult.retrievedItems) {
-      retrievedItems.push(<ItemProjection>await this.itemProjector.projectFull(item))
+      retrievedItems.push(<ItemProjection>this.itemProjector.projectFull(item))
     }
 
     const savedItems = []
     for (const item of syncItemsResponse.savedItems) {
-      savedItems.push(<ItemProjection>await this.itemProjector.projectFull(item))
+      savedItems.push(<ItemProjection>this.itemProjector.projectFull(item))
     }
 
     return {