diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/Core.java b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/Core.java
index 38728ce2f3..e5f7a1c39b 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/Core.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/Core.java
@@ -1861,6 +1861,8 @@ class Core {
                 imessages = Arrays.copyOfRange(imessages,
                         imessages.length - account.max_messages, imessages.length);
 
+            db.folder().setFolderSyncState(folder.id, "downloading");
+
             boolean hasUidl = caps.containsKey("UIDL");
             if (hasUidl) {
                 FetchProfile ifetch = new FetchProfile();
@@ -1868,8 +1870,6 @@ class Core {
                 ifolder.fetch(imessages, ifetch);
             }
 
-            db.folder().setFolderSyncState(folder.id, "downloading");
-
             List<TupleUidl> ids = db.message().getUidls(folder.id);
             Log.i(folder.name + " POP existing=" + ids.size() + " uidl=" + hasUidl);