diff --git a/worker/imap/fetch.go b/worker/imap/fetch.go
index d675ed1..79c9148 100644
--- a/worker/imap/fetch.go
+++ b/worker/imap/fetch.go
@@ -50,10 +50,7 @@ func (imapw *IMAPWorker) handleFetchMessageHeaders(
 			if err != nil {
 				logging.Errorf(
 					"message %d: could not read header: %v", _msg.Uid, err)
-				imapw.worker.PostMessage(&types.Error{
-					Message: types.RespondTo(msg),
-					Error:   err,
-				}, nil)
+				imapw.worker.PostMessageInfoError(msg, _msg.Uid, err)
 				return nil
 			}
 			header := &mail.Header{Header: message.Header{Header: textprotoHeader}}
diff --git a/worker/maildir/worker.go b/worker/maildir/worker.go
index 0ece323..d0619ad 100644
--- a/worker/maildir/worker.go
+++ b/worker/maildir/worker.go
@@ -479,7 +479,7 @@ func (w *Worker) handleFetchMessageHeaders(
 		info, err := w.msgInfoFromUid(uid)
 		if err != nil {
 			logging.Errorf("could not get message info: %w", err)
-			w.err(msg, err)
+			w.worker.PostMessageInfoError(msg, uid, err)
 			continue
 		}
 		w.worker.PostMessage(&types.MessageInfo{
diff --git a/worker/mbox/worker.go b/worker/mbox/worker.go
index c5c7082..10a94cd 100644
--- a/worker/mbox/worker.go
+++ b/worker/mbox/worker.go
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ func (w *mboxWorker) handleMessage(msg types.WorkerMessage) error {
 			}
 			msgInfo, err := lib.MessageInfo(m)
 			if err != nil {
-				reterr = err
+				w.worker.PostMessageInfoError(msg, uid, err)
 				break
 			} else {
 				w.worker.PostMessage(&types.MessageInfo{
diff --git a/worker/notmuch/worker.go b/worker/notmuch/worker.go
index 903460e..2c8cc4f 100644
--- a/worker/notmuch/worker.go
+++ b/worker/notmuch/worker.go
@@ -315,13 +315,13 @@ func (w *worker) handleFetchMessageHeaders(
 		m, err := w.msgFromUid(uid)
 		if err != nil {
 			logging.Errorf("could not get message: %w", err)
-			w.err(msg, err)
+			w.w.PostMessageInfoError(msg, uid, err)
 			continue
 		}
 		err = w.emitMessageInfo(m, msg)
 		if err != nil {
 			logging.Errorf("could not emit message info: %w", err)
-			w.err(msg, err)
+			w.w.PostMessageInfoError(msg, uid, err)
 			continue
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/worker/types/worker.go b/worker/types/worker.go
index ba396aa..ad35949 100644
--- a/worker/types/worker.go
+++ b/worker/types/worker.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"sync/atomic"
 
 	"git.sr.ht/~rjarry/aerc/logging"
+	"git.sr.ht/~rjarry/aerc/models"
 )
 
 var lastId int64 = 1 // access via atomic
@@ -104,3 +105,17 @@ func (worker *Worker) ProcessAction(msg WorkerMessage) WorkerMessage {
 	}
 	return msg
 }
+
+// PostMessageInfoError posts a MessageInfo message to the worker when an
+// error was encountered fetching the message header
+func (worker *Worker) PostMessageInfoError(msg WorkerMessage, uid uint32, err error) {
+	worker.PostMessage(&MessageInfo{
+		Info: &models.MessageInfo{
+			Envelope: &models.Envelope{},
+			Flags:    []models.Flag{models.SeenFlag},
+			Uid:      uid,
+			Error:    err,
+		},
+		Message: RespondTo(msg),
+	}, nil)
+}