diff --git a/deltachat-jsonrpc/src/api.rs b/deltachat-jsonrpc/src/api.rs
index 2bdb9585c..9df9e1f9b 100644
--- a/deltachat-jsonrpc/src/api.rs
+++ b/deltachat-jsonrpc/src/api.rs
@@ -2775,6 +2775,15 @@ impl CommandApi {
                 .map(JsonrpcAppSource::from_core_type),
         )
     }
+
+    /// Returns true if all accounts have empty outgoing message queue.
+    ///
+    /// This API is intended to be used by UIs
+    /// to request that operating system does not put the application in background
+    /// while there are still outgoing messages that are not sent out.
+    async fn is_sending_finished(&self) -> Result<bool> {
+        self.accounts.read().await.is_sending_finished().await
+    }
 }
 
 // Helper functions (to prevent code duplication)
diff --git a/deltachat-rpc-client/src/deltachat_rpc_client/deltachat.py b/deltachat-rpc-client/src/deltachat_rpc_client/deltachat.py
index 8bde4c586..9b976210d 100644
--- a/deltachat-rpc-client/src/deltachat_rpc_client/deltachat.py
+++ b/deltachat-rpc-client/src/deltachat_rpc_client/deltachat.py
@@ -67,3 +67,7 @@ class DeltaChat:
     def stop_sending_locations(self) -> None:
         """Stop sending locations to all chats."""
         return self.rpc.stop_sending_locations()
+
+    def is_sending_finished(self) -> bool:
+        """Return true if sending queues of all accounts are empty."""
+        return self.rpc.is_sending_finished()
diff --git a/deltachat-rpc-client/tests/test_something.py b/deltachat-rpc-client/tests/test_something.py
index d67f7d72a..d5c0dabdf 100644
--- a/deltachat-rpc-client/tests/test_something.py
+++ b/deltachat-rpc-client/tests/test_something.py
@@ -1435,3 +1435,35 @@ def test_large_message(acf, rpcdata) -> None:
     assert msg.id == msgs_changed_event.msg_id
     snapshot = msg.get_snapshot()
     assert snapshot.text == "Hello World, this message is bigger than 5 bytes"
+
+
+def test_is_sending_finished(dc, acf) -> None:
+    alice, bob = acf.get_online_accounts(2)
+
+    alice_chat_bob = alice.create_chat(bob)
+    bob_chat_alice = bob.create_chat(alice)
+
+    assert dc.is_sending_finished()
+
+    alice_chat_bob.send_text("Hello!")
+    alice.wait_for_event(EventType.SMTP_MESSAGE_SENT)
+
+    assert dc.is_sending_finished()
+
+    alice.stop_io()
+    bob.stop_io()
+
+    bob_chat_alice.send_text("Hello back!")
+    alice_chat_bob.send_text("Hello again!")
+
+    assert not dc.is_sending_finished()
+
+    alice.start_io()
+    alice.wait_for_event(EventType.SMTP_MESSAGE_SENT)
+
+    assert not dc.is_sending_finished()
+
+    bob.start_io()
+    bob.wait_for_event(EventType.SMTP_MESSAGE_SENT)
+
+    assert dc.is_sending_finished()
diff --git a/src/accounts.rs b/src/accounts.rs
index 1efaa63d1..8e5fec8b0 100644
--- a/src/accounts.rs
+++ b/src/accounts.rs
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ use crate::events::{Event, EventEmitter, EventType, Events};
 use crate::location;
 use crate::log::warn;
 use crate::push::PushSubscriber;
+use crate::smtp;
 use crate::stock_str::StockStrings;
 
 /// Account manager, that can handle multiple accounts in a single place.
@@ -509,6 +510,20 @@ impl Accounts {
         )
     }
 
+    /// Returns true if there are no pending messages for sending.
+    ///
+    /// This is intended to be used by UIs to request not moving the app to background
+    /// when there are messages left in the queue.
+    pub async fn is_sending_finished(&self) -> Result<bool> {
+        let accounts: Vec<Context> = self.accounts.values().cloned().collect();
+        for account in accounts {
+            if !smtp::is_queue_empty(&account).await? {
+                return Ok(false);
+            }
+        }
+        Ok(true)
+    }
+
     /// Interrupts ongoing background_fetch() call,
     /// making it return early.
     ///
diff --git a/src/smtp.rs b/src/smtp.rs
index 9d26c7164..faf885384 100644
--- a/src/smtp.rs
+++ b/src/smtp.rs
@@ -751,3 +751,9 @@ pub(crate) async fn add_self_recipients(
 
     Ok(())
 }
+
+/// Returns true if SMTP queue is empty.
+pub(crate) async fn is_queue_empty(context: &Context) -> Result<bool> {
+    let sending_finished = !context.sql.exists("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM smtp", ()).await?;
+    Ok(sending_finished)
+}