diff --git a/melib/src/backends/imap.rs b/melib/src/backends/imap.rs
index d9ff7df05..8b27dc7fe 100644
--- a/melib/src/backends/imap.rs
+++ b/melib/src/backends/imap.rs
@@ -232,9 +232,9 @@ impl MailBackend for ImapType {
                     work_context,
                 };
                 if has_idle {
-                    idle(kit);
+                    idle(kit).ok().take();
                 } else {
-                    poll_with_examine(kit);
+                    poll_with_examine(kit).ok().take();
                 }
             })?;
         Ok(handle.thread().id())
diff --git a/melib/src/backends/imap/watch.rs b/melib/src/backends/imap/watch.rs
index 8cae6154e..59291ba90 100644
--- a/melib/src/backends/imap/watch.rs
+++ b/melib/src/backends/imap/watch.rs
@@ -40,14 +40,14 @@ macro_rules! exit_on_error {
             $work_context.set_status.send(($thread_id, e.to_string())).unwrap();
             $sender.send(RefreshEvent {
                 hash: $folder_hash,
-                kind: RefreshEventKind::Failure(e),
+                kind: RefreshEventKind::Failure(e.clone()),
             });
-            std::process::exit(1);
-        })+
+            Err(e)
+        } else { Ok(()) }?;)+
     };
 }
 
-pub fn poll_with_examine(kit: ImapWatchKit) {
+pub fn poll_with_examine(kit: ImapWatchKit) -> Result<()> {
     debug!("poll with examine");
     let ImapWatchKit {
         is_online,
@@ -89,15 +89,16 @@ pub fn poll_with_examine(kit: ImapWatchKit) {
                 &hash_index,
                 &uid_index,
                 &work_context,
-            );
+            )?;
         }
         let mut main_conn = main_conn.lock().unwrap();
         main_conn.send_command(b"NOOP").unwrap();
         main_conn.read_response(&mut response).unwrap();
     }
+    Ok(())
 }
 
-pub fn idle(kit: ImapWatchKit) {
+pub fn idle(kit: ImapWatchKit) -> Result<()> {
     debug!("IDLE");
     /* IDLE only watches the connection's selected mailbox. We will IDLE on INBOX and every ~5
      * minutes wake up and poll the others */
@@ -464,6 +465,7 @@ pub fn idle(kit: ImapWatchKit) {
                 .unwrap();
         }
     }
+    Ok(())
 }
 
 fn examine_updates(
@@ -473,7 +475,7 @@ fn examine_updates(
     hash_index: &Arc<Mutex<FnvHashMap<EnvelopeHash, (UID, FolderHash)>>>,
     uid_index: &Arc<Mutex<FnvHashMap<usize, EnvelopeHash>>>,
     work_context: &WorkContext,
-) {
+) -> Result<()> {
     let thread_id: std::thread::ThreadId = std::thread::current().id();
     let folder_hash = folder.hash();
     debug!("examining folder {} {}", folder_hash, folder.path());
@@ -627,4 +629,5 @@ fn examine_updates(
             panic!("could not select mailbox");
         }
     };
+    Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/ui/src/conf/accounts.rs b/ui/src/conf/accounts.rs
index 8cd28a04e..16ac6f7d1 100644
--- a/ui/src/conf/accounts.rs
+++ b/ui/src/conf/accounts.rs
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ impl MailboxEntry {
 pub struct Account {
     pub index: usize,
     name: String,
-    is_online: bool,
+    pub is_online: bool,
     pub(crate) folders: FnvHashMap<FolderHash, MailboxEntry>,
     pub(crate) folder_confs: FnvHashMap<FolderHash, FolderConf>,
     pub(crate) folders_order: Vec<FolderHash>,
diff --git a/ui/src/state.rs b/ui/src/state.rs
index 136fdd59c..ea0e63a9a 100644
--- a/ui/src/state.rs
+++ b/ui/src/state.rs
@@ -144,25 +144,28 @@ impl Context {
             ref mut mailbox_hashes,
             ..
         } = self;
+        let was_online = accounts[account_pos].is_online;
         if accounts[account_pos].is_online() {
-            for folder in accounts[account_pos]
-                .backend
-                .read()
-                .unwrap()
-                .folders()
-                .values()
-            {
-                debug!("hash & folder: {:?} {}", folder.hash(), folder.name());
-                mailbox_hashes.insert(folder.hash(), account_pos);
+            if !was_online {
+                for folder in accounts[account_pos]
+                    .backend
+                    .read()
+                    .unwrap()
+                    .folders()
+                    .values()
+                {
+                    debug!("hash & folder: {:?} {}", folder.hash(), folder.name());
+                    mailbox_hashes.insert(folder.hash(), account_pos);
+                }
+                /* Account::watch() needs
+                 * - work_controller to pass `work_context` to the watcher threads and then add them
+                 *   to the controller's static thread list,
+                 * - sender to pass a RefreshEventConsumer closure to watcher threads for them to
+                 *   inform the main binary that refresh events arrived
+                 * - replies to report any failures to the user
+                 */
+                accounts[account_pos].watch((work_controller, sender, replies));
             }
-            /* Account::watch() needs
-             * - work_controller to pass `work_context` to the watcher threads and then add them
-             *   to the controller's static thread list,
-             * - sender to pass a RefreshEventConsumer closure to watcher threads for them to
-             *   inform the main binary that refresh events arrived
-             * - replies to report any failures to the user
-             */
-            accounts[account_pos].watch((work_controller, sender, replies));
             true
         } else {
             false