diff --git a/proto/backend.proto b/proto/backend.proto
index ac6acd6bc..b4c555e8a 100644
--- a/proto/backend.proto
+++ b/proto/backend.proto
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ message BackendInput {
         FormatTimeSpanIn format_time_span = 31;
         StudiedTodayIn studied_today = 32;
         CongratsLearnMsgIn congrats_learn_msg = 33;
+        Empty empty_trash = 34;
     }
 }
 
@@ -68,6 +69,7 @@ message BackendOutput {
         Empty sync_media = 27;
         MediaCheckOut check_media = 28;
         Empty trash_media_files = 29;
+        Empty empty_trash = 34;
 
         BackendError error = 2047;
     }
@@ -281,6 +283,7 @@ message MediaCheckOut {
     repeated string unused = 1;
     repeated string missing = 2;
     string report = 3;
+    bool have_trash = 4;
 }
 
 message TrashMediaFilesIn {
diff --git a/pylib/anki/rsbackend.py b/pylib/anki/rsbackend.py
index 22f9e547a..247f580c1 100644
--- a/pylib/anki/rsbackend.py
+++ b/pylib/anki/rsbackend.py
@@ -360,6 +360,8 @@ class RustBackend:
             )
         ).congrats_learn_msg
 
+    def empty_trash(self):
+        self._run_command(pb.BackendInput(empty_trash=pb.Empty()))
 
 def translate_string_in(
     key: TR, **kwargs: Union[str, int, float]
diff --git a/qt/aqt/mediacheck.py b/qt/aqt/mediacheck.py
index 7500ceafd..61bc491e6 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/mediacheck.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/mediacheck.py
@@ -95,6 +95,11 @@ class MediaChecker:
                 box.addButton(b, QDialogButtonBox.RejectRole)
                 b.clicked.connect(self._on_render_latex)  # type: ignore
 
+        if output.have_trash:
+            b = QPushButton(tr(TR.MEDIA_CHECK_EMPTY_TRASH))
+            b.setAutoDefault(False)
+            box.addButton(b, QDialogButtonBox.RejectRole)
+            b.clicked.connect(lambda c: self._on_empty_trash())  # type: ignore
         box.rejected.connect(diag.reject)  # type: ignore
         diag.setMinimumHeight(400)
         diag.setMinimumWidth(500)
@@ -150,3 +155,20 @@ class MediaChecker:
             self.progress_dialog = None
 
         tooltip(tr(TR.MEDIA_CHECK_DELETE_UNUSED_COMPLETE, count=total))
+
+    def _on_empty_trash(self):
+        self.progress_dialog = self.mw.progress.start()
+        hooks.bg_thread_progress_callback.append(self._on_progress)
+
+        def empty_trash():
+            self.mw.col.backend.empty_trash()
+
+        def on_done(fut: Future):
+            self.mw.progress.finish()
+            hooks.bg_thread_progress_callback.remove(self._on_progress)
+            # check for errors
+            fut.result()
+
+            tooltip(tr(TR.MEDIA_CHECK_TRASH_EMPTIED))
+
+        self.mw.taskman.run_in_background(empty_trash, on_done)
diff --git a/rslib/ftl/media-check.ftl b/rslib/ftl/media-check.ftl
index b0a324279..739d1f3cc 100644
--- a/rslib/ftl/media-check.ftl
+++ b/rslib/ftl/media-check.ftl
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@ media-check-delete-unused-complete = {$count ->
     *[other] {$count} files
   } moved to the trash.
 
+media-check-trash-emptied = The trash folder is now empty.
+
 ## Rendering LaTeX
 
 media-check-all-latex-rendered = All LaTeX rendered.
@@ -55,3 +57,5 @@ media-check-all-latex-rendered = All LaTeX rendered.
 
 media-check-delete-unused = Delete Unused
 media-check-render-latex = Render LaTeX
+# button to permanently delete media files from the trash folder
+media-check-empty-trash = Empty Trash
diff --git a/rslib/src/backend.rs b/rslib/src/backend.rs
index 8997ff71d..e074dd960 100644
--- a/rslib/src/backend.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/backend.rs
@@ -233,6 +233,10 @@ impl Backend {
                 input.next_due,
                 &self.i18n,
             )),
+            Value::EmptyTrash(_) => {
+                self.empty_trash()?;
+                OValue::EmptyTrash(Empty {})
+            }
         })
     }
 
@@ -413,6 +417,7 @@ impl Backend {
             unused: output.unused,
             missing: output.missing,
             report,
+            have_trash: output.trash_count > 0,
         })
     }
 
@@ -452,6 +457,16 @@ impl Backend {
             }
         }
     }
+
+    fn empty_trash(&self) -> Result<()> {
+        let callback =
+            |progress: usize| self.fire_progress_callback(Progress::MediaCheck(progress as u32));
+
+        let mgr = MediaManager::new(&self.media_folder, &self.media_db)?;
+        let mut checker = MediaChecker::new(&mgr, &self.col_path, callback, &self.i18n, &self.log);
+
+        checker.empty_trash()
+    }
 }
 
 fn translate_arg_to_fluent_val(arg: &pb::TranslateArgValue) -> FluentValue {