Index: src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/core/LazyItemIterator.java
===================================================================
--- src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/core/LazyItemIterator.java	(revision 1035641)
+++ src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/core/LazyItemIterator.java	(working copy)
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 
 import org.apache.jackrabbit.core.id.ItemId;
 import org.apache.jackrabbit.core.id.NodeId;
+import org.apache.jackrabbit.core.state.ItemStateManager;
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
 import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 
@@ -117,6 +118,24 @@
                 log.debug("ignoring nonexistent item " + id);
                 // remove invalid id
                 idList.remove(pos);
+
+                // maybe fix the root cause
+                if (parentId != null && itemMgr.session.autoFixCorruptions()) {
+                    try {
+                        // it might be an access right problem
+                        // we need to check if the item doesn't exist in the ism
+                        ItemStateManager ism = itemMgr.sessionContext.getItemStateManager();
+                        if (!ism.hasItemState(id)) {
+                            NodeImpl p = (NodeImpl) itemMgr.getItem(parentId);
+                            p.removeChildNode((NodeId) id);
+                            p.save();
+                        }
+                    } catch (RepositoryException e2) {
+                        e2.printStackTrace();
+                        // ignore
+                    }
+                }
+
                 // try next
             } catch (AccessDeniedException e) {
                 log.debug("ignoring nonexistent item " + id);
Index: src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/core/NodeImpl.java
===================================================================
--- src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/core/NodeImpl.java	(revision 1035641)
+++ src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/core/NodeImpl.java	(working copy)
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@
 import org.apache.jackrabbit.core.state.ChildNodeEntry;
 import org.apache.jackrabbit.core.state.ItemState;
 import org.apache.jackrabbit.core.state.ItemStateException;
+import org.apache.jackrabbit.core.state.ItemStateManager;
 import org.apache.jackrabbit.core.state.NodeReferences;
 import org.apache.jackrabbit.core.state.NodeState;
 import org.apache.jackrabbit.core.state.PropertyState;
@@ -613,8 +614,24 @@
         }
 
         // notify target of removal
-        NodeImpl childNode = itemMgr.getNode(childId, getNodeId());
-        childNode.onRemove(getNodeId());
+        try {
+            NodeImpl childNode = itemMgr.getNode(childId, getNodeId());
+            childNode.onRemove(getNodeId());
+        } catch (ItemNotFoundException e) {
+            boolean ignoreError = false;
+            if (itemMgr.session.autoFixCorruptions()) {
+                // it might be an access right problem
+                // we need to check if the item doesn't exist in the ism
+                ItemStateManager ism = itemMgr.sessionContext.getItemStateManager();
+                if (!ism.hasItemState(id)) {
+                    log.warn("Node " + childId + " not found, ignore", e);
+                    ignoreError = true;
+                }
+            }
+            if (!ignoreError) {
+                throw e;
+            }
+        }
 
         // remove the child node entry
         if (!thisState.removeChildNodeEntry(childId)) {
@@ -663,9 +680,28 @@
                 // recursively remove child node
                 NodeId childId = entry.getId();
                 //NodeImpl childNode = (NodeImpl) itemMgr.getItem(childId);
-                NodeImpl childNode = itemMgr.getNode(childId, getNodeId());
-                childNode.onRemove(thisState.getNodeId());
-                // remove the child node entry
+                try {
+                    NodeImpl childNode = itemMgr.getNode(childId, getNodeId());
+                    childNode.onRemove(thisState.getNodeId());
+                    // remove the child node entry
+                } catch (ItemNotFoundException e) {
+                    boolean ignoreError = false;
+                    if (parentId != null && itemMgr.session.autoFixCorruptions()) {
+                        // it might be an access right problem
+                        // we need to check if the item doesn't exist in the ism
+                        ItemStateManager ism = itemMgr.sessionContext.getItemStateManager();
+                        if (!ism.hasItemState(childId)) {
+                            log.warn("Child named " + entry.getName() + " (index " + entry.getIndex() + ", " +
+                                    "node id " + childId + ") " +
+                                    "not found when trying to remove " + getPath() + " " +
+                                    "(node id " + getNodeId() + ") - ignored", e);
+                            ignoreError = true;
+                        }
+                    }
+                    if (!ignoreError) {
+                        throw e;
+                    }
+                }
                 thisState.removeChildNodeEntry(childId);
             }
         }
Index: src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/core/SessionImpl.java
===================================================================
--- src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/core/SessionImpl.java	(revision 1035641)
+++ src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/core/SessionImpl.java	(working copy)
@@ -122,6 +122,17 @@
     public static final String DISABLE_CLUSTER_SYNC_ON_REFRESH =
         "org.apache.jackrabbit.disableClusterSyncOnRefresh";
 
+    /**
+     * Name of the session attribute that controls whether repository
+     * inconsistencies should be automatically fixed when traversing over child
+     * nodes, when trying to add a child node, or remove a child node.
+     *
+     * @since Apache Jackrabbit 2.2
+     * @see <a href="https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/JCR-2740">JCR-2740</a>
+     */
+    public static final String AUTO_FIX_CORRUPTIONS =
+        "org.apache.jackrabbit.autoFixCorruptions";
+
     private static Logger log = LoggerFactory.getLogger(SessionImpl.class);
 
     /**
@@ -772,6 +783,22 @@
     }
 
     /**
+     * Automatically fixes repository inconsistencies when traversing over child nodes,
+     * when trying to add a child node, or remove a child node.
+     * <p>
+     * Subclasses can override this method to implement alternative
+     * rules on when cluster synchronization should be done.
+     *
+     * @return <code>true</code> if the {@link #AUTO_FIX_CORRUPTIONS}
+     *         attribute is <em>not</em> set, <code>false</code> otherwise
+     * @since Apache Jackrabbit 2.2
+     * @see <a href="https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/JCR-2740">JCR-2740</a>
+     */
+    protected boolean autoFixCorruptions() {
+        return getAttribute(AUTO_FIX_CORRUPTIONS) == null;
+    }
+
+    /**
      * {@inheritDoc}
      */
     public boolean hasPendingChanges() throws RepositoryException {