diff --git a/src/Persistence/Wolverine.RDBMS/DatabasePersistence.cs b/src/Persistence/Wolverine.RDBMS/DatabasePersistence.cs
index dbbf2170d..5c18aeade 100644
--- a/src/Persistence/Wolverine.RDBMS/DatabasePersistence.cs
+++ b/src/Persistence/Wolverine.RDBMS/DatabasePersistence.cs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging;
 using Weasel.Core;
 using Wolverine.Persistence.Durability;
+using Wolverine.Runtime;
 using Wolverine.Runtime.Serialization;
 using DbCommandBuilder = Weasel.Core.DbCommandBuilder;
 
@@ -66,9 +67,12 @@ public static DbCommand BuildIncomingStorageCommand(IEnumerable<Envelope> envelo
     public static void BuildIncomingStorageCommand(IMessageDatabase settings, DbCommandBuilder builder,
         Envelope envelope)
     {
+        // Don't store any data if the envelope is already marked as handled
+        var data = envelope.Status == EnvelopeStatus.Handled ? [] : EnvelopeSerializer.Serialize(envelope);
+        
         var list = new List<DbParameter>
         {
-            builder.AddParameter(EnvelopeSerializer.Serialize(envelope)),
+            builder.AddParameter(data),
             builder.AddParameter(envelope.Id),
             builder.AddParameter(envelope.Status.ToString()),
             builder.AddParameter(envelope.OwnerId),
@@ -87,9 +91,14 @@ public static void BuildIncomingStorageCommand(IMessageDatabase settings, DbComm
     public static async Task<Envelope> ReadIncomingAsync(DbDataReader reader, CancellationToken cancellation = default)
     {
         var body = await reader.GetFieldValueAsync<byte[]>(0, cancellation);
-        var envelope = EnvelopeSerializer.Deserialize(body);
+        var envelope = body.Length > 0 ? EnvelopeSerializer.Deserialize(body) : new Envelope{Message = new PlaceHolder()};
+        envelope.Id = await reader.GetFieldValueAsync<Guid>(1, cancellation);
         envelope.Status = Enum.Parse<EnvelopeStatus>(await reader.GetFieldValueAsync<string>(2, cancellation));
         envelope.OwnerId = await reader.GetFieldValueAsync<int>(3, cancellation);
+        envelope.MessageType = await reader.GetFieldValueAsync<string>(6, cancellation);
+
+        var rawUri = await reader.GetFieldValueAsync<string>(7, cancellation);
+        envelope.Destination = new Uri(rawUri);
 
         if (!await reader.IsDBNullAsync(4, cancellation))
         {
diff --git a/src/Testing/Wolverine.ComplianceTests/MessageStoreCompliance.cs b/src/Testing/Wolverine.ComplianceTests/MessageStoreCompliance.cs
index 8180aefc3..532a2319a 100644
--- a/src/Testing/Wolverine.ComplianceTests/MessageStoreCompliance.cs
+++ b/src/Testing/Wolverine.ComplianceTests/MessageStoreCompliance.cs
@@ -105,6 +105,28 @@ public async Task store_a_single_incoming_envelope()
 
         stored.SentAt.ShouldBe(envelope.SentAt);
     }
+    
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task store_a_single_incoming_envelope_that_is_handled()
+    {
+        // This is for cases where you're only persisting the record for idempotency checks
+        
+        var envelope = ObjectMother.Envelope();
+        envelope.Status = EnvelopeStatus.Handled;
+        envelope.SentAt = ((DateTimeOffset)DateTime.Today).ToUniversalTime();
+
+        await thePersistence.Inbox.StoreIncomingAsync(envelope);
+
+        var stored = (await thePersistence.Admin.AllIncomingAsync()).Single();
+        
+        // This is the important part
+        stored.Data.Length.ShouldBe(0);
+        stored.Destination.ShouldBe(envelope.Destination);
+
+        stored.Id.ShouldBe(envelope.Id);
+        stored.OwnerId.ShouldBe(envelope.OwnerId);
+        stored.Status.ShouldBe(envelope.Status);
+    }
 
     [Fact]
     public async Task store_a_single_incoming_envelope_that_is_a_duplicate()
diff --git a/src/Wolverine/Runtime/PlaceHolder.cs b/src/Wolverine/Runtime/PlaceHolder.cs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4c0fcce32
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Wolverine/Runtime/PlaceHolder.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+namespace Wolverine.Runtime;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Just a place holder for the real message
+/// </summary>
+public class PlaceHolder : ISerializable
+{
+    public byte[] Write()
+    {
+        return [];
+    }
+
+    public static object Read(byte[] bytes)
+    {
+        return new PlaceHolder();
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file