diff --git a/deltachat-repl/src/cmdline.rs b/deltachat-repl/src/cmdline.rs
index 2749ea39c..1a9983af1 100644
--- a/deltachat-repl/src/cmdline.rs
+++ b/deltachat-repl/src/cmdline.rs
@@ -355,6 +355,7 @@ pub async fn cmdline(context: Context, line: &str, chat_id: &mut ChatId) -> Resu
                  configure\n\
                  connect\n\
                  disconnect\n\
+                 fetch\n\
                  connectivity\n\
                  maybenetwork\n\
                  housekeeping\n\
diff --git a/deltachat-repl/src/main.rs b/deltachat-repl/src/main.rs
index 05185c810..61853e3b9 100644
--- a/deltachat-repl/src/main.rs
+++ b/deltachat-repl/src/main.rs
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ const IMEX_COMMANDS: [&str; 13] = [
     "stop",
 ];
 
-const DB_COMMANDS: [&str; 10] = [
+const DB_COMMANDS: [&str; 11] = [
     "info",
     "set",
     "get",
@@ -176,6 +176,7 @@ const DB_COMMANDS: [&str; 10] = [
     "configure",
     "connect",
     "disconnect",
+    "fetch",
     "connectivity",
     "maybenetwork",
     "housekeeping",
@@ -417,6 +418,9 @@ async fn handle_cmd(
         "disconnect" => {
             ctx.stop_io().await;
         }
+        "fetch" => {
+            ctx.background_fetch().await?;
+        }
         "configure" => {
             ctx.configure().await?;
         }