diff --git a/rslib/src/storage/sync_check.rs b/rslib/src/storage/sync_check.rs
index d52d679e6..5427a3fbf 100644
--- a/rslib/src/storage/sync_check.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/storage/sync_check.rs
@@ -48,7 +48,10 @@ impl SqliteStorage {
             cards: self.table_count("cards")?,
             notes: self.table_count("notes")?,
             revlog: self.table_count("revlog")?,
-            graves: self.table_count("graves")?,
+            // clients on schema 17 and below may send duplicate
+            // deletion markers, so we can't compare graves until
+            // the minimum syncing version is schema 18.
+            graves: 0,
             notetypes: self.table_count("notetypes")?,
             decks: self.table_count("decks")?,
             deck_config: self.table_count("deck_config")?,
diff --git a/rslib/src/sync/server.rs b/rslib/src/sync/server.rs
index bde7baf5b..cc55b2764 100644
--- a/rslib/src/sync/server.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/sync/server.rs
@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@ impl SyncServer for LocalServer {
 
     async fn sanity_check(&mut self, mut client: SanityCheckCounts) -> Result<SanityCheckResponse> {
         client.counts = Default::default();
+        client.graves = 0;
         let server = self.col.storage.sanity_check_info()?;
         Ok(SanityCheckResponse {
             status: if client == server {