diff --git a/config/aerc.conf b/config/aerc.conf
index 8e503f5..2906381 100644
--- a/config/aerc.conf
+++ b/config/aerc.conf
@@ -174,6 +174,11 @@ completion-popovers=true
 # Default: false
 #threading-enabled=false
 
+# Force client-side thread building
+#
+# Default: false
+#force-client-threads=false
+
 [statusline]
 # Describes the format string for the statusline.
 #
diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index 8a243c3..e0c8608 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ type UIConfig struct {
 	EmptyDirlist        string        `ini:"empty-dirlist"`
 	MouseEnabled        bool          `ini:"mouse-enabled"`
 	ThreadingEnabled    bool          `ini:"threading-enabled"`
+	ForceClientThreads  bool          `ini:"force-client-threads"`
 	FuzzyComplete       bool          `ini:"fuzzy-complete"`
 	NewMessageBell      bool          `ini:"new-message-bell"`
 	Spinner             string        `ini:"spinner"`
diff --git a/doc/aerc-config.5.scd b/doc/aerc-config.5.scd
index a9d0cd9..55bc7a8 100644
--- a/doc/aerc-config.5.scd
+++ b/doc/aerc-config.5.scd
@@ -300,6 +300,12 @@ These options are configured in the *[ui]* section of aerc.conf.
 
 	Default: false
 
+*force-client-threads*
+	Force threads to be built client-side. Backends that don't support threading
+	will always build threads client side.
+
+	Default: false
+
 
 ## Contextual UI Configuration
 
diff --git a/lib/msgstore.go b/lib/msgstore.go
index 0eb5682..99ae594 100644
--- a/lib/msgstore.go
+++ b/lib/msgstore.go
@@ -60,13 +60,12 @@ type MessageStore struct {
 func NewMessageStore(worker *types.Worker,
 	dirInfo *models.DirectoryInfo,
 	defaultSortCriteria []*types.SortCriterion,
-	thread bool,
+	thread bool, clientThreads bool,
 	triggerNewEmail func(*models.MessageInfo),
 	triggerDirectoryChange func()) *MessageStore {
 
 	dirInfoUpdateDelay := 5 * time.Second
 
-	var clientThreads bool
 	if !dirInfo.Caps.Thread {
 		clientThreads = true
 	}
diff --git a/widgets/account.go b/widgets/account.go
index 4fe6df7..6e03160 100644
--- a/widgets/account.go
+++ b/widgets/account.go
@@ -295,6 +295,7 @@ func (acct *AccountView) onMessage(msg types.WorkerMessage) {
 			store = lib.NewMessageStore(acct.worker, msg.Info,
 				acct.GetSortCriteria(),
 				acct.UiConfig().ThreadingEnabled,
+				acct.UiConfig().ForceClientThreads,
 				func(msg *models.MessageInfo) {
 					acct.conf.Triggers.ExecNewEmail(acct.acct,
 						acct.conf, msg)