diff --git a/modules/restapi/src/main/resources/docspell-openapi.yml b/modules/restapi/src/main/resources/docspell-openapi.yml
index 7c03aa4f..2b999c6e 100644
--- a/modules/restapi/src/main/resources/docspell-openapi.yml
+++ b/modules/restapi/src/main/resources/docspell-openapi.yml
@@ -7841,8 +7841,6 @@ components:
           $ref: "#/components/schemas/IdName"
         concEquipment:
           $ref: "#/components/schemas/IdName"
-        inReplyTo:
-          $ref: "#/components/schemas/IdName"
         folder:
           $ref: "#/components/schemas/IdName"
         dueDate:
diff --git a/modules/restserver/src/main/scala/docspell/restserver/conv/Conversions.scala b/modules/restserver/src/main/scala/docspell/restserver/conv/Conversions.scala
index 38bd05da..806b69c8 100644
--- a/modules/restserver/src/main/scala/docspell/restserver/conv/Conversions.scala
+++ b/modules/restserver/src/main/scala/docspell/restserver/conv/Conversions.scala
@@ -136,7 +136,6 @@ trait Conversions {
       data.corrPerson.map(p => IdName(p.pid, p.name)),
       data.concPerson.map(p => IdName(p.pid, p.name)),
       data.concEquip.map(e => IdName(e.eid, e.name)),
-      data.inReplyTo.map(mkIdName),
       data.folder.map(mkIdName),
       data.item.dueDate,
       data.item.notes,
diff --git a/modules/store/src/main/resources/db/migration/h2/V1.38.1__remove_unused_column.sql b/modules/store/src/main/resources/db/migration/h2/V1.38.1__remove_unused_column.sql
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..06c45311
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/store/src/main/resources/db/migration/h2/V1.38.1__remove_unused_column.sql
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+alter table "item" drop column "inreplyto";
diff --git a/modules/store/src/main/resources/db/migration/mariadb/V1.38.1__remove_unused_column.sql b/modules/store/src/main/resources/db/migration/mariadb/V1.38.1__remove_unused_column.sql
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..045a97d0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/store/src/main/resources/db/migration/mariadb/V1.38.1__remove_unused_column.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+alter table `item` drop foreign key item_ibfk_1;
+alter table `item` drop column `inreplyto` cascade;
diff --git a/modules/store/src/main/resources/db/migration/postgresql/V1.38.1__remove_unused_column.sql b/modules/store/src/main/resources/db/migration/postgresql/V1.38.1__remove_unused_column.sql
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..06c45311
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/store/src/main/resources/db/migration/postgresql/V1.38.1__remove_unused_column.sql
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+alter table "item" drop column "inreplyto";
diff --git a/modules/store/src/main/scala/docspell/store/queries/ItemData.scala b/modules/store/src/main/scala/docspell/store/queries/ItemData.scala
index 3ee7c535..ad5028da 100644
--- a/modules/store/src/main/scala/docspell/store/queries/ItemData.scala
+++ b/modules/store/src/main/scala/docspell/store/queries/ItemData.scala
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ case class ItemData(
     corrPerson: Option[RPerson],
     concPerson: Option[RPerson],
     concEquip: Option[REquipment],
-    inReplyTo: Option[IdRef],
     folder: Option[IdRef],
     tags: Vector[RTag],
     attachments: Vector[(RAttachment, RFileMeta)],
diff --git a/modules/store/src/main/scala/docspell/store/queries/QItem.scala b/modules/store/src/main/scala/docspell/store/queries/QItem.scala
index 44054354..172d38a9 100644
--- a/modules/store/src/main/scala/docspell/store/queries/QItem.scala
+++ b/modules/store/src/main/scala/docspell/store/queries/QItem.scala
@@ -74,12 +74,9 @@ object QItem extends FtsSupport {
   }
 
   def findItem(id: Ident, collective: Ident): ConnectionIO[Option[ItemData]] = {
-    val ref = RItem.as("ref")
     val cq =
       Select(
         select(i.all, org.all, pers0.all, pers1.all, equip.all)
-          .append(ref.id.s)
-          .append(ref.name.s)
           .append(f.id.s)
           .append(f.name.s),
         from(i)
@@ -87,7 +84,6 @@ object QItem extends FtsSupport {
           .leftJoin(pers0, pers0.pid === i.corrPerson)
           .leftJoin(pers1, pers1.pid === i.concPerson)
           .leftJoin(equip, equip.eid === i.concEquipment)
-          .leftJoin(ref, ref.id === i.inReplyTo)
           .leftJoin(f, f.id === i.folder),
         i.id === id
       ).build
@@ -100,7 +96,6 @@ object QItem extends FtsSupport {
             Option[RPerson],
             Option[RPerson],
             Option[REquipment],
-            Option[IdRef],
             Option[IdRef]
         )
       ]
@@ -122,7 +117,7 @@ object QItem extends FtsSupport {
       cfs <- customfields
       rel <- related
     } yield data.map(d =>
-      ItemData(d._1, d._2, d._3, d._4, d._5, d._6, d._7, ts, att, srcs, arch, cfs, rel)
+      ItemData(d._1, d._2, d._3, d._4, d._5, d._6, ts, att, srcs, arch, cfs, rel)
     )
   }
 
diff --git a/modules/store/src/main/scala/docspell/store/records/RItem.scala b/modules/store/src/main/scala/docspell/store/records/RItem.scala
index 2ac753ca..36eadefe 100644
--- a/modules/store/src/main/scala/docspell/store/records/RItem.scala
+++ b/modules/store/src/main/scala/docspell/store/records/RItem.scala
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ case class RItem(
     corrPerson: Option[Ident],
     concPerson: Option[Ident],
     concEquipment: Option[Ident],
-    inReplyTo: Option[Ident],
     dueDate: Option[Timestamp],
     created: Timestamp,
     updated: Timestamp,
@@ -63,7 +62,6 @@ object RItem {
       None,
       None,
       None,
-      None,
       now,
       now,
       None,
@@ -85,7 +83,6 @@ object RItem {
     val corrPerson = Column[Ident]("corrperson", this)
     val concPerson = Column[Ident]("concperson", this)
     val concEquipment = Column[Ident]("concequipment", this)
-    val inReplyTo = Column[Ident]("inreplyto", this)
     val dueDate = Column[Timestamp]("duedate", this)
     val created = Column[Timestamp]("created", this)
     val updated = Column[Timestamp]("updated", this)
@@ -103,7 +100,6 @@ object RItem {
       corrPerson,
       concPerson,
       concEquipment,
-      inReplyTo,
       dueDate,
       created,
       updated,
@@ -123,7 +119,7 @@ object RItem {
       T,
       T.all,
       fr"${v.id},${v.cid},${v.name},${v.itemDate},${v.source},${v.direction},${v.state}," ++
-        fr"${v.corrOrg},${v.corrPerson},${v.concPerson},${v.concEquipment},${v.inReplyTo},${v.dueDate}," ++
+        fr"${v.corrOrg},${v.corrPerson},${v.concPerson},${v.concEquipment},${v.dueDate}," ++
         fr"${v.created},${v.updated},${v.notes},${v.folderId}"
     )
 
@@ -145,7 +141,6 @@ object RItem {
           T.corrPerson.setTo(item.corrPerson),
           T.concPerson.setTo(item.concPerson),
           T.concEquipment.setTo(item.concEquipment),
-          T.inReplyTo.setTo(item.inReplyTo),
           T.dueDate.setTo(item.dueDate),
           T.notes.setTo(item.notes),
           T.folder.setTo(item.folderId),
diff --git a/modules/store/src/test/scala/docspell/store/fts/TempFtsOpsTest.scala b/modules/store/src/test/scala/docspell/store/fts/TempFtsOpsTest.scala
index 4946f39f..0b3c9aa5 100644
--- a/modules/store/src/test/scala/docspell/store/fts/TempFtsOpsTest.scala
+++ b/modules/store/src/test/scala/docspell/store/fts/TempFtsOpsTest.scala
@@ -187,7 +187,6 @@ class TempFtsOpsTest extends DatabaseTest {
       None,
       None,
       None,
-      None,
       ts,
       ts,
       None,