diff --git a/lib/msgstore.go b/lib/msgstore.go
index b39d0bb..fb13346 100644
--- a/lib/msgstore.go
+++ b/lib/msgstore.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package lib
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
@@ -140,6 +141,11 @@ func (store *MessageStore) Update(msg types.WorkerMessage) {
 	switch msg := msg.(type) {
 	case *types.DirectoryInfo:
 		store.DirInfo = *msg
+		fmt.Printf("got dirinfo, %d exists, %d known\n",
+			store.DirInfo.Exists, len(store.Uids))
+		if store.DirInfo.Exists != len(store.Uids) {
+			store.worker.PostAction(&types.FetchDirectoryContents{}, nil)
+		}
 		update = true
 	case *types.DirectoryContents:
 		newMap := make(map[uint32]*types.MessageInfo)
diff --git a/widgets/account.go b/widgets/account.go
index c01b15f..ba2b8d3 100644
--- a/widgets/account.go
+++ b/widgets/account.go
@@ -161,17 +161,17 @@ func (acct *AccountView) onMessage(msg types.WorkerMessage) {
 			} else {
 				acct.msglist.SetStore(nil)
 			}
-			acct.worker.PostAction(&types.FetchDirectoryContents{},
-				func(msg types.WorkerMessage) {
-					store := acct.msgStores[acct.dirlist.selected]
-					acct.msglist.SetStore(store)
-				})
 		}
 	case *types.DirectoryInfo:
 		if store, ok := acct.msgStores[msg.Name]; ok {
 			store.Update(msg)
 		} else {
-			acct.msgStores[msg.Name] = lib.NewMessageStore(acct.worker, msg)
+			store = lib.NewMessageStore(acct.worker, msg)
+			acct.msgStores[msg.Name] = store
+			store.OnUpdate(func(_ *lib.MessageStore) {
+				store.OnUpdate(nil)
+				acct.msglist.SetStore(store)
+			})
 		}
 	case *types.DirectoryContents:
 		store := acct.msgStores[acct.dirlist.selected]
diff --git a/widgets/msglist.go b/widgets/msglist.go
index eeadec7..65473a8 100644
--- a/widgets/msglist.go
+++ b/widgets/msglist.go
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ func (ml *MessageList) Height() int {
 }
 
 func (ml *MessageList) storeUpdate(store *lib.MessageStore) {
+	ml.logger.Println("message store updated")
 	if ml.Store() != store {
 		return
 	}
diff --git a/worker/imap/open.go b/worker/imap/open.go
index dc5d6d1..ab54e88 100644
--- a/worker/imap/open.go
+++ b/worker/imap/open.go
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@ func (imapw *IMAPWorker) handleOpenDirectory(msg *types.OpenDirectory) {
 		}, nil)
 	} else {
 		imapw.worker.PostMessage(&types.Done{types.RespondTo(msg)}, nil)
+		if imapw.idleStop == nil {
+			imapw.idleStop = make(chan struct{})
+		}
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/worker/imap/worker.go b/worker/imap/worker.go
index 4354ab9..3d4555f 100644
--- a/worker/imap/worker.go
+++ b/worker/imap/worker.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ var errUnsupported = fmt.Errorf("unsupported command")
 
 type imapClient struct {
 	*client.Client
-	*idle.IdleClient
+	idle *idle.IdleClient
 }
 
 type IMAPWorker struct {
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ type IMAPWorker struct {
 	}
 
 	client   *imapClient
+	idleStop chan struct{}
+	idleDone chan error
 	selected imap.MailboxStatus
 	updates  chan client.Update
 	worker   *types.Worker
@@ -39,8 +41,9 @@ type IMAPWorker struct {
 
 func NewIMAPWorker(worker *types.Worker) *IMAPWorker {
 	return &IMAPWorker{
-		updates: make(chan client.Update, 50),
-		worker:  worker,
+		idleDone: make(chan error),
+		updates:  make(chan client.Update, 50),
+		worker:   worker,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -80,6 +83,13 @@ func (w *IMAPWorker) verifyPeerCert(msg types.WorkerMessage) func(
 }
 
 func (w *IMAPWorker) handleMessage(msg types.WorkerMessage) error {
+	if w.idleStop != nil {
+		close(w.idleStop)
+		if err := <-w.idleDone; err != nil {
+			w.worker.PostMessage(&types.Error{Error: err}, nil)
+		}
+	}
+
 	switch msg := msg.(type) {
 	case *types.Unsupported:
 		// No-op
@@ -167,6 +177,13 @@ func (w *IMAPWorker) handleMessage(msg types.WorkerMessage) error {
 	default:
 		return errUnsupported
 	}
+
+	if w.idleStop != nil {
+		w.idleStop = make(chan struct{})
+		go func() {
+			w.idleDone <- w.client.idle.IdleWithFallback(w.idleStop, 0)
+		}()
+	}
 	return nil
 }