diff --git a/tests/unit/utils/test_vobject.py b/tests/unit/utils/test_vobject.py
index 6d86921..4660f2a 100644
--- a/tests/unit/utils/test_vobject.py
+++ b/tests/unit/utils/test_vobject.py
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ def test_broken_item():
     assert 'Parsing error at line 1' in str(excinfo.value)
 
     item = vobject.Item('END:FOO')
-    assert item.parsed is None
+    assert not item.is_parseable
 
 
 def test_multiple_items():
diff --git a/vdirsyncer/repair.py b/vdirsyncer/repair.py
index 0a775ee..022dccd 100644
--- a/vdirsyncer/repair.py
+++ b/vdirsyncer/repair.py
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ def repair_storage(storage, repair_unsafe_uid):
 
 
 def repair_item(href, item, seen_uids, repair_unsafe_uid):
-    if item.parsed is None:
+    if not item.is_parseable:
         raise IrreparableItem()
 
     new_item = item
diff --git a/vdirsyncer/sync/__init__.py b/vdirsyncer/sync/__init__.py
index e899868..7a35389 100644
--- a/vdirsyncer/sync/__init__.py
+++ b/vdirsyncer/sync/__init__.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ sync_logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 class _StorageInfo(object):
     '''A wrapper class that holds prefetched items, the status and other
     things.'''
+
     def __init__(self, storage, status):
         self.storage = storage
         self.status = status
@@ -57,6 +58,12 @@ class _StorageInfo(object):
         # Prefetch items
         for href, item, etag in (self.storage.get_multi(prefetch)
                                  if prefetch else ()):
+            if not item.is_parseable:
+                sync_logger.warning(
+                    'Storage "{}": item {} is malformed. '
+                    'Please try to repair it.'
+                    .format(self.storage.instance_name, href)
+                )
             _store_props(item.ident, ItemMetadata(
                 href=href,
                 hash=item.hash,
@@ -122,9 +129,9 @@ def sync(storage_a, storage_b, status, conflict_resolution=None,
         raise BothReadOnly()
 
     if conflict_resolution == 'a wins':
-        conflict_resolution = lambda a, b: a
+        def conflict_resolution(a, b): return a
     elif conflict_resolution == 'b wins':
-        conflict_resolution = lambda a, b: b
+        def conflict_resolution(a, b): return b
 
     status_nonempty = bool(next(status.iter_old(), None))
 
diff --git a/vdirsyncer/vobject.py b/vdirsyncer/vobject.py
index bba9b3a..fa161ee 100644
--- a/vdirsyncer/vobject.py
+++ b/vdirsyncer/vobject.py
@@ -32,6 +32,10 @@ class Item(object):
         native.change_uid(new_c, new_uid or '')
         return Item(native.write_component(new_c), component=new_c)
 
+    @property
+    def is_parseable(self):
+        return bool(self._component)
+
     @property
     def raw(self):
         '''Raw content of the item, as unicode string.
@@ -70,15 +74,6 @@ class Item(object):
         # 2. The status file would contain really sensitive information.
         return self.uid or self.hash
 
-    @property
-    def parsed(self):
-        '''Don't cache because the rv is mutable.'''
-        # FIXME: remove
-        try:
-            return _Component.parse(self.raw)
-        except Exception:
-            return None
-
     @property
     def is_valid(self):
         return bool(self._component)