diff --git a/src/ConversationList/ConversationList.vala b/src/ConversationList/ConversationList.vala
index 9536267c6..ede996623 100644
--- a/src/ConversationList/ConversationList.vala
+++ b/src/ConversationList/ConversationList.vala
@@ -247,6 +247,9 @@ public class Mail.ConversationList : Gtk.Box {
             cancellable.cancel ();
         }
 
+        var cancellable = new GLib.Cancellable ();
+        this.cancellable = cancellable;
+
         conversation_focused (null);
         conversation_selected (null);
 
@@ -261,8 +264,6 @@ public class Mail.ConversationList : Gtk.Box {
                     list_store.remove_all ();
                     list_store.items_changed (0, previous_items, 0);
 
-                    cancellable = new GLib.Cancellable ();
-
                     lock (this.folder_full_name_per_account) {
                         foreach (var folder_full_name_entry in this.folder_full_name_per_account) {
                             var current_account = folder_full_name_entry.key;
@@ -311,14 +312,21 @@ public class Mail.ConversationList : Gtk.Box {
         }
 
         list_store.items_changed (0, 0, list_store.get_n_items ());
+        refresh_folder.begin (cancellable);
     }
 
     public async void refresh_folder (GLib.Cancellable? cancellable = null) {
+        if (cancellable != null && cancellable.is_cancelled ()) {
+            return;
+        }
+
         refresh_stack.set_visible_child_name ("spinner");
         lock (folders) {
             foreach (var folder in folders.values) {
                 try {
                     yield folder.refresh_info (GLib.Priority.DEFAULT, cancellable);
+                } catch (IOError.CANCELLED e) {
+                        break;
                 } catch (Error e) {
                     warning ("Error fetching messages for '%s' from '%s': %s",
                     folder.display_name,