diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 0d03c3679..15167714a 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 - speed up and clean up account creation #1912 #1927 #1960 #1961
 
 - configure now collects recent contacts and fetches last messages
-  unless disabled by `fetch_existing` config-option #1913 #2003
+  unless disabled by `fetch_existing_msgs` config-option #1913 #2003
 
 - emit `DC_EVENT_CHAT_MODIFIED` on contact rename
   and set contact-id on `DC_EVENT_CONTACTS_CHANGED` #1935 #1936 #1937
diff --git a/deltachat-ffi/deltachat.h b/deltachat-ffi/deltachat.h
index ab2eb9036..1843c4f0b 100644
--- a/deltachat-ffi/deltachat.h
+++ b/deltachat-ffi/deltachat.h
@@ -350,7 +350,7 @@ char*           dc_get_blobdir               (const dc_context_t* context);
  *                    The type `jitsi:` may be handled by external apps.
  *                    If no type is prefixed, the videochat is handled completely in a browser.
  * - `bot`          = Set to "1" if this is a bot. E.g. prevents adding the "Device messages" and "Saved messages" chats.
- * - `fetch_existing` = 1=fetch most recent existing messages on configure (default),
+ * - `fetch_existing_msgs` = 1=fetch most recent existing messages on configure (default),
  *                    0=do not fetch existing messages on configure.
  *                    In both cases, existing recipients are added to the contact database.
  *
diff --git a/python/tests/test_account.py b/python/tests/test_account.py
index 5605099f0..5123f6cf4 100644
--- a/python/tests/test_account.py
+++ b/python/tests/test_account.py
@@ -2021,7 +2021,7 @@ class TestOnlineAccount:
         assert ac1.direct_imap.idle_wait_for_seen()
 
         ac1_clone = acfactory.clone_online_account(ac1)
-        ac1_clone.set_config("fetch_existing", "1")
+        ac1_clone.set_config("fetch_existing_msgs", "1")
         ac1_clone._configtracker.wait_finish()
         ac1_clone.start_io()
 
diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index 7dac3619a..1ceff9a08 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -69,8 +69,12 @@ pub enum Config {
     #[strum(props(default = "0"))] // also change MediaQuality.default() on changes
     MediaQuality,
 
-    #[strum(props(default = "0"))] // disabled for now, we'll set this back to "1" at some point
-    FetchExisting,
+    /// If set to "1", on the first time `start_io()` is called after configuring,
+    /// the newest existing messages are fetched.
+    /// Existing recipients are added to the contact database regardless of this setting.
+    #[strum(props(default = "0"))]
+    // disabled for now, we'll set this back to "1" at some point
+    FetchExistingMsgs,
 
     #[strum(props(default = "0"))]
     KeyGenType,
diff --git a/src/job.rs b/src/job.rs
index 8ed787a87..fe85b8150 100644
--- a/src/job.rs
+++ b/src/job.rs
@@ -639,7 +639,7 @@ impl Job {
         add_all_recipients_as_contacts(context, imap, Config::ConfiguredMvboxFolder).await;
         add_all_recipients_as_contacts(context, imap, Config::ConfiguredInboxFolder).await;
 
-        if context.get_config_bool(Config::FetchExisting).await {
+        if context.get_config_bool(Config::FetchExistingMsgs).await {
             for config in &[
                 Config::ConfiguredMvboxFolder,
                 Config::ConfiguredInboxFolder,
diff --git a/src/provider/data.rs b/src/provider/data.rs
index 6538d0026..91ef3067f 100644
--- a/src/provider/data.rs
+++ b/src/provider/data.rs
@@ -575,7 +575,7 @@ static P_NAUTA_CU: Lazy<Provider> = Lazy::new(|| {
         ConfigDefault { key: Config::MvboxMove, value: "0" },
         ConfigDefault { key: Config::E2eeEnabled, value: "0" },
         ConfigDefault { key: Config::MediaQuality, value: "1" },
-        ConfigDefault { key: Config::FetchExisting, value: "0" },
+        ConfigDefault { key: Config::FetchExistingMsgs, value: "0" },
     ]),
     strict_tls: false,
     oauth2_authorizer: None,