We are trying to build an automated system based on alias email addresses. However, when an email comes in through the Transport service, it is stripping off the alias "TO" address and changing it to the real email account name. For example, we have an email of 'first.last@company.com'. Then we have an alias on that email account of 'alias@company.com'. When you email 'alias', the Transport service strips the 'TO:alias@company.com' and replaces it with 'TO:first.last@company.com', then delivers the email to the box. We have to know the original TO address for our automation to work correctly. How can you stop the Transport layer/service from changing the alias TO: to the mailbox account TO:. ~ RealManage IT

Forgot to mention, this is when using IMAP. Our app/program uses IMAP to retrieve the message. MAPI leaves the correct headers, but requires a COM object and more overhead than the app we built and are using through IMAP. We need the headers left in tact through IMAP.~ RealManage IT

Does noone from Microsoft have any clue about this? I have found other articles online finally about how this feature started with Exchange 2007/2010. Something about MS now moves the headers from PR_TRANSPORT_MESSAGE_HEADERS to PR_REDIRECTION_HISTORY during the MS Transport service, then rewrites the header to show the main email account instead of the original alias the email was sent to. So can't Microsoft build a patch to stop stripping the header out for IMAP and POP messaging? Apparently it did not do this on Exchange 2003, so why was it changed in the newer servers? MS has a bad habit of changing useful functionality on future releases of products. Why can't they leave a good thing alone and improve on the parts that don't work instead of messing with parts that do?~ RealManage IT

Hi, I think Exchange cannot change the headers itself. So the situation you are facing is by designed. Best regards, SerenaPlease remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.

Obviously the situation is by design. Otherwise it wouldn't have worked in Exchange 2003 either. And sorry, but obviously Exchange "IS" changing the headers, otherwise IMAP would show the original "TO" email address like MAPI does, but it does NOT. It is happening during the Exchange Transport service so, yes, Exchange "IS" changing the headers. The problem/question is why did Microsoft change this behavior from Exchange 2003 to 2007/2010 and why can't they patch it to work again? IMAP should still show the original "TO" email address and it does not. This needs to be fixed. Other people than just myself are asking for this as well but noone from Microsoft seems to know how to fix it or cares that it gets fixed.~ RealManage IT

Hi RM, I had the same problem, that I wanted to be able to interogate the alias name so that could create a rule around it. I have now identified a solution that meets this objective. If you create a distribution list (instead of setting up an alias) and add the target email account into the distribution list recipients, then once the mail has landed it will have the distribution list name. That can then be used in a rule. Regards Martin