diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Repositories/IDocumentRepository.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Repositories/IDocumentRepository.cs
index f4d83fe6ee..685f8643cb 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Repositories/IDocumentRepository.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Repositories/IDocumentRepository.cs
@@ -7,6 +7,12 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Persistence.Repositories
 {
     public interface IDocumentRepository : IContentRepository<int, IContent>, IReadRepository<Guid, IContent>
     {
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Clears the publishing schedule for all entries before this date
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="date"></param>
+        void ClearSchedule(DateTime date);
+
         /// <summary>
         /// Gets a collection of <see cref="IContent"/> objects, which has an expiration date less than or equal to today.
         /// </summary>
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Repositories/Implement/DocumentRepository.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Repositories/Implement/DocumentRepository.cs
index 76a5a51327..02df4172d6 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Repositories/Implement/DocumentRepository.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Repositories/Implement/DocumentRepository.cs
@@ -907,22 +907,24 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Persistence.Repositories.Implement
 
         #region Schedule
 
+        /// <inheritdoc />
+        public void ClearSchedule(DateTime date)
+        {
+            var sql = Sql().Delete<ContentScheduleDto>().Where<ContentScheduleDto>(x => x.Date <= date);
+            Database.Execute(sql);
+        }
+
         /// <inheritdoc />
         public IEnumerable<IContent> GetContentForRelease(DateTime date)
         {
             var action = ContentScheduleChange.Start.ToString();
 
-            // fixme/review - code would blow if more than 2000 items
-            // fixme/review - isn't this simpler?
             var sql = GetBaseQuery(QueryType.Many)
                 .WhereIn<NodeDto>(x => x.NodeId, Sql()
                     .Select<ContentScheduleDto>(x => x.NodeId)
                     .From<ContentScheduleDto>()
                     .Where<ContentScheduleDto>(x => x.Action == action && x.Date <= date));
-
-            sql.Where<NodeDto>(x => !x.Trashed); // fixme/review - shouldn't we exclude trashed nodes?
-            sql.Where<DocumentDto>(x => !x.Published);
-
+            
             AddGetByQueryOrderBy(sql);
 
             return MapDtosToContent(Database.Fetch<DocumentDto>(sql));
@@ -940,8 +942,6 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Persistence.Repositories.Implement
                     .From<ContentScheduleDto>()
                     .Where<ContentScheduleDto>(x => x.Action == action && x.Date <= date));
 
-            sql.Where<DocumentDto>(x => x.Published);
-
             AddGetByQueryOrderBy(sql);
 
             return MapDtosToContent(Database.Fetch<DocumentDto>(sql));
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Services/Implement/ContentService.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Services/Implement/ContentService.cs
index e7668e61aa..9e5d2a22a8 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Services/Implement/ContentService.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Services/Implement/ContentService.cs
@@ -1173,7 +1173,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Services.Implement
 
                 var now = date;
 
-                foreach (var d in GetContentForRelease(now))
+                foreach (var d in _documentRepository.GetContentForRelease(now))
                 {
                     PublishResult result;
                     if (d.ContentType.VariesByCulture())
@@ -1188,13 +1188,17 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Services.Implement
                         {
                             //Clear this schedule for this culture
                             d.ContentSchedule.Clear(c, ContentScheduleChange.Start, now);
-                            //set the culture to be published
-                            d.PublishCulture(c);
+                            if (!d.Trashed)
+                                d.PublishCulture(c); //set the culture to be published
                         }
 
                         if (pendingCultures.Count > 0)
                         {
-                            result = SavePublishing(d, d.WriterId);
+                            if (!d.Trashed)
+                                result = SavePublishing(d, d.WriterId);
+                            else
+                                result = new PublishResult(PublishResultType.FailedPublishPathNotPublished, evtMsgs, d);
+
                             if (result.Success == false)
                                 Logger.Error<ContentService>(null, "Failed to publish document id={DocumentId}, reason={Reason}.", d.Id, result.Result);
                             yield return result;
@@ -1204,14 +1208,18 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Services.Implement
                     {
                         //Clear this schedule
                         d.ContentSchedule.Clear(ContentScheduleChange.Start, now);
-                        result = SaveAndPublish(d, userId: d.WriterId);
+                        if (!d.Trashed)
+                            result = SaveAndPublish(d, userId: d.WriterId);
+                        else
+                            result = new PublishResult(PublishResultType.FailedPublishPathNotPublished, evtMsgs, d);
+
                         if (result.Success == false)
                             Logger.Error<ContentService>(null, "Failed to publish document id={DocumentId}, reason={Reason}.", d.Id, result.Result);
                         yield return result;
                     }
                 }
 
-                foreach (var d in GetContentForExpiration(now))
+                foreach (var d in _documentRepository.GetContentForExpiration(now))
                 {
                     PublishResult result;
                     if (d.ContentType.VariesByCulture())
@@ -1251,6 +1259,8 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Services.Implement
 
                 }
 
+                _documentRepository.ClearSchedule(now);
+
                 scope.Complete();
             }
         }