diff --git a/offlineimap/folder/Gmail.py b/offlineimap/folder/Gmail.py
index 2a8afd2..69f0075 100644
--- a/offlineimap/folder/Gmail.py
+++ b/offlineimap/folder/Gmail.py
@@ -93,6 +93,10 @@ class GmailFolder(IMAPFolder):
                 labels = set()
             labels = labels - self.ignorelabels
             labels_str = imaputil.format_labels_string(self.labelsheader, sorted(labels))
+
+            # First remove old label headers that may be in the message content retrieved
+            # from gmail Then add a labels header with current gmail labels.
+            body = self.deletemessageheaders(body, self.labelsheader)
             body = self.addmessageheader(body, '\n', self.labelsheader, labels_str)
 
         if len(body)>200:
diff --git a/offlineimap/folder/GmailMaildir.py b/offlineimap/folder/GmailMaildir.py
index 7a67c87..3b127d2 100644
--- a/offlineimap/folder/GmailMaildir.py
+++ b/offlineimap/folder/GmailMaildir.py
@@ -153,7 +153,11 @@ class GmailMaildirFolder(MaildirFolder):
         # Change labels into content
         labels_str = imaputil.format_labels_string(self.labelsheader,
           sorted(labels | ignoredlabels))
+
+        # First remove old labels header, and then add the new one
+        content = self.deletemessageheaders(content, self.labelsheader)
         content = self.addmessageheader(content, '\n', self.labelsheader, labels_str)
+
         rtime = self.messagelist[uid].get('rtime', None)
 
         # write file with new labels to a unique file in tmp