diff --git a/HISTORY b/HISTORY
index 6a85b670..f876d104 100644
--- a/HISTORY
+++ b/HISTORY
@@ -350,7 +350,7 @@ Video Disk Recorder Revision History
 - Encrypted channels can now be selected even without knowing the PNR (however, it
   is still necessary for the EPG info).
 
-2001-02-03: Version 0.71
+2001-02-04: Version 0.71
 
 - Fixed 'Transfer Mode' in cases where a non-primary interface was switched to
   a channel that only the primary interface can receive (which could happen in
@@ -376,3 +376,5 @@ Video Disk Recorder Revision History
   to 0), but once they are written back (due to some channel editing) the file
   will have the new format.
 - The EPG scanner now scans each transponder only once per cycle.
+- Deleted recordings are now automatically removed from disk after a while (not
+  only when disk space is being needed for a new recording).
diff --git a/menu.c b/menu.c
index b20b89d1..1616fb45 100644
--- a/menu.c
+++ b/menu.c
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
  * See the main source file 'vdr.c' for copyright information and
  * how to reach the author.
  *
- * $Id: menu.c 1.62 2001/02/03 16:05:31 kls Exp $
+ * $Id: menu.c 1.63 2001/02/04 11:48:01 kls Exp $
  */
 
 #include "menu.h"
@@ -2019,6 +2019,15 @@ void cRecordControls::Process(void)
       }
 }
 
+bool cRecordControls::Active(void)
+{
+  for (int i = 0; i < MAXDVBAPI; i++) {
+      if (RecordControls[i])
+         return true;
+      }
+  return false;
+}
+
 // --- cProgressBar ----------------------------------------------------------
 
 class cProgressBar : public cBitmap {
diff --git a/menu.h b/menu.h
index 92321111..b8ea98b3 100644
--- a/menu.h
+++ b/menu.h
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
  * See the main source file 'vdr.c' for copyright information and
  * how to reach the author.
  *
- * $Id: menu.h 1.16 2000/12/25 14:25:29 kls Exp $
+ * $Id: menu.h 1.17 2001/02/04 11:47:21 kls Exp $
  */
 
 #ifndef _MENU_H
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ public:
   static void Stop(cDvbApi *DvbApi);
   static const char *GetInstantId(const char *LastInstantId);
   static void Process(void);
+  static bool Active(void);
   };
 
 class cReplayControl : public cOsdBase {
diff --git a/recording.c b/recording.c
index 064731df..dd364638 100644
--- a/recording.c
+++ b/recording.c
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
  * See the main source file 'vdr.c' for copyright information and
  * how to reach the author.
  *
- * $Id: recording.c 1.24 2001/01/13 12:17:15 kls Exp $
+ * $Id: recording.c 1.25 2001/02/04 12:36:32 kls Exp $
  */
 
 #define _GNU_SOURCE
@@ -32,8 +32,34 @@
 
 #define MINDISKSPACE 1024 // MB
 
-#define DISKCHECKDELTA 300 // seconds between checks for free disk space
-#define REMOVELATENCY   10 // seconds to wait until next check after removing a file 
+#define DELETEDLIFETIME     1 // hours after which a deleted recording will be actually removed
+#define REMOVECHECKDELTA 3600 // seconds between checks for removing deleted files
+#define DISKCHECKDELTA    300 // seconds between checks for free disk space
+#define REMOVELATENCY      10 // seconds to wait until next check after removing a file 
+
+void RemoveDeletedRecordings(void)
+{
+  static time_t LastRemoveCheck = 0;
+  if (time(NULL) - LastRemoveCheck > REMOVECHECKDELTA) {
+     // Remove the oldest file that has been "deleted":
+     cRecordings Recordings;
+     if (Recordings.Load(true)) {
+        cRecording *r = Recordings.First();
+        cRecording *r0 = r;
+        while (r) {
+              if (r->start < r0->start)
+                 r0 = r;
+              r = Recordings.Next(r);
+              }
+        if (r0 && time(NULL) - r0->start > DELETEDLIFETIME * 60) {
+           r0->Remove();
+           LastRemoveCheck += REMOVELATENCY;
+           return;
+           }
+        }
+     LastRemoveCheck = time(NULL);
+     }
+}
 
 void AssertFreeDiskSpace(void)
 {
diff --git a/recording.h b/recording.h
index 454c356f..2d3ea392 100644
--- a/recording.h
+++ b/recording.h
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
  * See the main source file 'vdr.c' for copyright information and
  * how to reach the author.
  *
- * $Id: recording.h 1.11 2000/12/16 14:25:20 kls Exp $
+ * $Id: recording.h 1.12 2001/02/04 11:44:37 kls Exp $
  */
 
 #ifndef __RECORDING_H
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 #include "config.h"
 #include "tools.h"
 
+void RemoveDeletedRecordings(void);
 void AssertFreeDiskSpace(void);
 
 class cRecording : public cListObject {
diff --git a/tools.c b/tools.c
index cd2c60f8..9546dd11 100644
--- a/tools.c
+++ b/tools.c
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
  * See the main source file 'vdr.c' for copyright information and
  * how to reach the author.
  *
- * $Id: tools.c 1.27 2001/01/13 15:35:02 kls Exp $
+ * $Id: tools.c 1.28 2001/02/04 11:27:49 kls Exp $
  */
 
 #define _GNU_SOURCE
@@ -237,8 +237,10 @@ bool RemoveFileOrDir(const char *FileName, bool FollowSymlinks)
            }
         }
      dsyslog(LOG_INFO, "removing %s", FileName);
-     if (remove(FileName) == 0)
-        return true;
+     if (remove(FileName) < 0) {
+        LOG_ERROR_STR(FileName);
+        return false;
+        }
      }
   else if (errno != ENOENT) {
      LOG_ERROR_STR(FileName);
diff --git a/vdr.c b/vdr.c
index b0bb4973..715df223 100644
--- a/vdr.c
+++ b/vdr.c
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
  *
  * The project's page is at http://www.cadsoft.de/people/kls/vdr
  *
- * $Id: vdr.c 1.50 2001/02/02 15:48:11 kls Exp $
+ * $Id: vdr.c 1.51 2001/02/04 11:51:11 kls Exp $
  */
 
 #include <getopt.h>
@@ -324,6 +324,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
            EITScanner.Process();
            cVideoCutter::Active();
            }
+        if (!*Interact && !cRecordControls::Active())
+           RemoveDeletedRecordings();
         }
   isyslog(LOG_INFO, "caught signal %d", Interrupted);
   Setup.CurrentChannel = cDvbApi::CurrentChannel();