diff --git a/src/imap/idle.rs b/src/imap/idle.rs
index a435ae659..aedb6297d 100644
--- a/src/imap/idle.rs
+++ b/src/imap/idle.rs
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ impl Imap {
         &self,
         context: &Context,
         watch_folder: Option<String>,
-        timeout: Duration,
+        until: SystemTime,
     ) -> Result<()> {
         task::block_on(async move {
             if !self.can_idle() {
@@ -63,8 +63,18 @@ impl Imap {
 
             self.select_folder(context, watch_folder.clone()).await?;
 
+            let timeout = match until.duration_since(SystemTime::now()) {
+                Ok(timeout) => timeout,
+                Err(_) => {
+                    info!(context, "idle called with negative timeout");
+                    return Ok(());
+                }
+            };
+            let timeout = min(timeout, Duration::from_secs(23 * 60));
+            info!(context, "idle-timeout is {:?}", timeout);
+
             let session = self.session.lock().await.take();
-            let max_duration = Duration::from_secs(23 * 60);
+
             if let Some(session) = session {
                 match session.idle() {
                     // BEWARE: If you change the Secure branch you
@@ -73,8 +83,7 @@ impl Imap {
                         if let Err(err) = handle.init().await {
                             return Err(Error::IdleProtocolFailed(err));
                         }
-                        let real_timeout = min(timeout, max_duration);
-                        let (idle_wait, interrupt) = handle.wait_with_timeout(real_timeout);
+                        let (idle_wait, interrupt) = handle.wait_with_timeout(timeout);
                         *self.interrupt.lock().await = Some(interrupt);
 
                         if self.skip_next_idle_wait.load(Ordering::SeqCst) {
@@ -188,7 +197,7 @@ impl Imap {
         &self,
         context: &Context,
         watch_folder: Option<String>,
-        timeout: Duration,
+        until: SystemTime,
     ) {
         // Idle using polling. This is also needed if we're not yet configured -
         // in this case, we're waiting for a configure job (and an interrupt).
@@ -225,11 +234,7 @@ impl Imap {
                     }
                     info!(context, "fake_idle is connected");
 
-                    if SystemTime::now()
-                        .duration_since(fake_idle_start_time)
-                        .unwrap_or_default()
-                        > timeout
-                    {
+                    if SystemTime::now() > until {
                         info!(context, "fake_idle stopping as jobs need running");
                         break;
                     }
diff --git a/src/job.rs b/src/job.rs
index ab3aa0c46..7389b2025 100644
--- a/src/job.rs
+++ b/src/job.rs
@@ -466,9 +466,7 @@ pub fn perform_sentbox_idle(context: &Context) {
 }
 
 pub fn interrupt_inbox_idle(context: &Context) {
-    info!(context, "interrupt_inbox_idle begin");
     context.inbox_thread.read().unwrap().interrupt_idle(context);
-    info!(context, "interrupt_inbox_idle finish");
 }
 
 pub fn interrupt_mvbox_idle(context: &Context) {
@@ -555,17 +553,16 @@ pub(crate) fn get_next_wakeup_time(context: &Context, thread: Thread) -> Duratio
         )
         .unwrap_or_default();
 
-    let mut wakeup_time = Duration::new(10 * 60, 0);
-    let now = time();
     if t > 0 {
+        let now = time();
         if t > now {
-            wakeup_time = Duration::new((t - now) as u64, 0);
+            Duration::new((t - now) as u64, 0)
         } else {
-            wakeup_time = Duration::new(0, 0);
+            Duration::new(0, 0)
         }
+    } else {
+        Duration::new(30 * 60, 0)
     }
-
-    wakeup_time
 }
 
 pub fn maybe_network(context: &Context) {
diff --git a/src/job_thread.rs b/src/job_thread.rs
index c10dabecc..34c639cb2 100644
--- a/src/job_thread.rs
+++ b/src/job_thread.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ use crate::context::Context;
 use crate::error::{Error, Result};
 use crate::imap::Imap;
 use crate::job::{get_next_wakeup_time, Thread};
-use std::time::Duration;
+use std::time::{Duration, SystemTime};
 
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub struct JobThread {
@@ -136,13 +136,12 @@ impl JobThread {
     pub fn idle(&self, context: &Context, use_network: bool) {
         // standard idle wait timeout
         let mut timeout = Duration::from_secs(23 * 60);
-
         {
             let &(ref lock, ref cvar) = &*self.state.clone();
             let mut state = lock.lock().unwrap();
 
-            // if we are in the inbox (job) thread
-            // we check if a job is due.
+            // if we are in the inbox (job) thread we only want to wait
+            // until the next job is due.
             if self.folder_config_name == "configured_inbox_folder" {
                 timeout = get_next_wakeup_time(context, Thread::Imap);
                 if timeout <= Duration::from_millis(20) {
@@ -175,6 +174,8 @@ impl JobThread {
             }
         }
 
+        let until = SystemTime::now() + timeout;
+
         let prefix = format!("{}-IDLE", self.name);
         let do_fake_idle = match self.imap.connect_configured(context) {
             Ok(()) => {
@@ -183,7 +184,7 @@ impl JobThread {
                 } else {
                     let watch_folder = self.get_watch_folder(context);
                     info!(context, "{} started...", prefix);
-                    let res = self.imap.idle(context, watch_folder, timeout);
+                    let res = self.imap.idle(context, watch_folder, until);
                     info!(context, "{} ended...", prefix);
                     if let Err(err) = res {
                         warn!(context, "{} failed: {} -> reconnecting", prefix, err);
@@ -203,7 +204,7 @@ impl JobThread {
         };
         if do_fake_idle {
             let watch_folder = self.get_watch_folder(context);
-            self.imap.fake_idle(context, watch_folder, timeout);
+            self.imap.fake_idle(context, watch_folder, until);
         }
 
         self.state.0.lock().unwrap().using_handle = false;