diff --git a/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs b/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
index 6f28a89b9..277588d90 100644
--- a/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
+++ b/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ use anyhow::Context as _;
 use deltachat::chat::{ChatId, ChatVisibility, MessageListOptions, MuteDuration, ProtectionStatus};
 use deltachat::constants::DC_MSG_ID_LAST_SPECIAL;
 use deltachat::contact::{Contact, ContactId, Origin};
-use deltachat::context::Context;
+use deltachat::context::{Context, ContextBuilder};
 use deltachat::ephemeral::Timer as EphemeralTimer;
 use deltachat::imex::BackupProvider;
 use deltachat::key::preconfigure_keypair;
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ use deltachat::message::MsgId;
 use deltachat::qr_code_generator::{generate_backup_qr, get_securejoin_qr_svg};
 use deltachat::reaction::{get_msg_reactions, send_reaction, Reactions};
 use deltachat::stock_str::StockMessage;
-use deltachat::stock_str::StockStrings;
 use deltachat::webxdc::StatusUpdateSerial;
 use deltachat::*;
 use deltachat::{accounts::Accounts, log::LogExt};
@@ -104,12 +103,11 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_context_new(
     let ctx = if blobdir.is_null() || *blobdir == 0 {
         // generate random ID as this functionality is not yet available on the C-api.
         let id = rand::thread_rng().gen();
-        block_on(Context::new(
-            as_path(dbfile),
-            id,
-            Events::new(),
-            StockStrings::new(),
-        ))
+        block_on(
+            ContextBuilder::new(as_path(dbfile).to_path_buf())
+                .with_id(id)
+                .open(),
+        )
     } else {
         eprintln!("blobdir can not be defined explicitly anymore");
         return ptr::null_mut();
@@ -133,12 +131,11 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_context_new_closed(dbfile: *const libc::c_char) -> *
     }
 
     let id = rand::thread_rng().gen();
-    match block_on(Context::new_closed(
-        as_path(dbfile),
-        id,
-        Events::new(),
-        StockStrings::new(),
-    )) {
+    match block_on(
+        ContextBuilder::new(as_path(dbfile).to_path_buf())
+            .with_id(id)
+            .build(),
+    ) {
         Ok(context) => Box::into_raw(Box::new(context)),
         Err(err) => {
             eprintln!("failed to create context: {err:#}");
diff --git a/deltachat-repl/src/main.rs b/deltachat-repl/src/main.rs
index 1151925a8..ded5abcbd 100644
--- a/deltachat-repl/src/main.rs
+++ b/deltachat-repl/src/main.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ extern crate deltachat;
 
 use std::borrow::Cow::{self, Borrowed, Owned};
 use std::io::{self, Write};
-use std::path::Path;
 use std::process::Command;
 
 use ansi_term::Color;
@@ -20,8 +19,7 @@ use deltachat::context::*;
 use deltachat::oauth2::*;
 use deltachat::qr_code_generator::get_securejoin_qr_svg;
 use deltachat::securejoin::*;
-use deltachat::stock_str::StockStrings;
-use deltachat::{EventType, Events};
+use deltachat::EventType;
 use log::{error, info, warn};
 use rustyline::completion::{Completer, FilenameCompleter, Pair};
 use rustyline::error::ReadlineError;
@@ -312,7 +310,10 @@ async fn start(args: Vec<String>) -> Result<(), Error> {
         println!("Error: Bad arguments, expected [db-name].");
         bail!("No db-name specified");
     }
-    let context = Context::new(Path::new(&args[1]), 0, Events::new(), StockStrings::new()).await?;
+    let context = ContextBuilder::new(args[1].clone().into())
+        .with_id(1)
+        .open()
+        .await?;
 
     let events = context.get_event_emitter();
     tokio::task::spawn(async move {
diff --git a/src/accounts.rs b/src/accounts.rs
index 626d279ef..197bd960a 100644
--- a/src/accounts.rs
+++ b/src/accounts.rs
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ use tokio::sync::oneshot;
 #[cfg(not(target_os = "ios"))]
 use tokio::time::{sleep, Duration};
 
-use crate::context::Context;
+use crate::context::{Context, ContextBuilder};
 use crate::events::{Event, EventEmitter, EventType, Events};
 use crate::stock_str::StockStrings;
 
@@ -120,13 +120,16 @@ impl Accounts {
         let account_config = self.config.new_account().await?;
         let dbfile = account_config.dbfile(&self.dir);
 
-        let ctx = Context::new(
-            &dbfile,
-            account_config.id,
-            self.events.clone(),
-            self.stockstrings.clone(),
-        )
-        .await?;
+        let ctx = ContextBuilder::new(dbfile)
+            .with_id(account_config.id)
+            .with_events(self.events.clone())
+            .with_stock_strings(self.stockstrings.clone())
+            .build()
+            .await?;
+        // Try to open without a passphrase,
+        // but do not return an error if account is passphare-protected.
+        ctx.open("".to_string()).await?;
+
         self.accounts.insert(account_config.id, ctx);
 
         Ok(account_config.id)
@@ -135,14 +138,14 @@ impl Accounts {
     /// Adds a new closed account.
     pub async fn add_closed_account(&mut self) -> Result<u32> {
         let account_config = self.config.new_account().await?;
+        let dbfile = account_config.dbfile(&self.dir);
 
-        let ctx = Context::new_closed(
-            &account_config.dbfile(&self.dir),
-            account_config.id,
-            self.events.clone(),
-            self.stockstrings.clone(),
-        )
-        .await?;
+        let ctx = ContextBuilder::new(dbfile)
+            .with_id(account_config.id)
+            .with_events(self.events.clone())
+            .with_stock_strings(self.stockstrings.clone())
+            .build()
+            .await?;
         self.accounts.insert(account_config.id, ctx);
 
         Ok(account_config.id)
@@ -527,19 +530,17 @@ impl Config {
         let mut accounts = BTreeMap::new();
 
         for account_config in &self.inner.accounts {
-            let ctx = Context::new(
-                &account_config.dbfile(dir),
-                account_config.id,
-                events.clone(),
-                stockstrings.clone(),
-            )
-            .await
-            .with_context(|| {
-                format!(
-                    "failed to create context from file {:?}",
-                    account_config.dbfile(dir)
-                )
-            })?;
+            let dbfile = account_config.dbfile(dir);
+            let ctx = ContextBuilder::new(dbfile.clone())
+                .with_id(account_config.id)
+                .with_events(events.clone())
+                .with_stock_strings(stockstrings.clone())
+                .build()
+                .await
+                .with_context(|| format!("failed to create context from file {:?}", &dbfile))?;
+            // Try to open without a passphrase,
+            // but do not return an error if account is passphare-protected.
+            ctx.open("".to_string()).await?;
 
             accounts.insert(account_config.id, ctx);
         }