diff --git a/ASYNC-API-TODO.txt b/ASYNC-API-TODO.txt
index c037db859..4bdf14092 100644
--- a/ASYNC-API-TODO.txt
+++ b/ASYNC-API-TODO.txt
@@ -12,9 +12,9 @@ APIs:
     dc_imex NEVER goes through the job system
     dc_imex import_backup needs to ensure dc_stop_jobs()
 
-    dc_io_start                # start smtp/imap and job handling subsystems
-    dc_io_stop                 # stop smtp/imap and job handling subsystems
-    dc_io_status               # return 1 if smtp/imap/jobs susbystem is running
+    dc_start_io                # start smtp/imap and job handling subsystems
+    dc_stop_io                 # stop smtp/imap and job handling subsystems
+    dc_is_io_running           # return 1 if smtp/imap/jobs susbystem is running
 
     dc_close                            # FFI only
       -> can be dropped
diff --git a/deltachat-ffi/deltachat.h b/deltachat-ffi/deltachat.h
index 22420f2f9..0556a6184 100644
--- a/deltachat-ffi/deltachat.h
+++ b/deltachat-ffi/deltachat.h
@@ -589,7 +589,7 @@ int             dc_is_configured   (const dc_context_t* context);
  * @param context The context object as created by dc_context_new().
  * @return None
  */
-void            dc_io_start     (dc_context_t* context);
+void            dc_start_io     (dc_context_t* context);
 
 /**
  * Check if IO (SMTP/IMAP/Jobs) has been started.
@@ -599,7 +599,7 @@ void            dc_io_start     (dc_context_t* context);
  * @return 1=IO is running; 
  *   0=IO is not running.
  */
-int             dc_io_status(const dc_context_t* context);
+int             dc_is_io_running(const dc_context_t* context);
 
 /**
  * Stop job and IMAP/SMTP tasks and return when they are finished. 
@@ -608,7 +608,7 @@ int             dc_io_status(const dc_context_t* context);
  * @param context The context object as created by dc_context_new().
  * @return None
  */
-void            dc_io_stop(dc_context_t* context);
+void            dc_stop_io(dc_context_t* context);
 
 /**
  * This function can be called whenever there is a hint
diff --git a/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs b/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
index 6cef31224..739cdc0ec 100644
--- a/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
+++ b/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
@@ -481,7 +481,7 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_is_configured(context: *mut dc_context_t) -> libc::c
 }
 
 #[no_mangle]
-pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_io_start(context: *mut dc_context_t) {
+pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_start_io(context: *mut dc_context_t) {
     if context.is_null() {
         return;
     }
@@ -491,7 +491,7 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_io_start(context: *mut dc_context_t) {
 }
 
 #[no_mangle]
-pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_io_status(context: *mut dc_context_t) -> libc::c_int {
+pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_is_io_running(context: *mut dc_context_t) -> libc::c_int {
     if context.is_null() {
         return 0;
     }
@@ -665,7 +665,7 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_get_next_event(context: *mut dc_context_t) -> *mut d
 }
 
 #[no_mangle]
-pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_io_stop(context: *mut dc_context_t) {
+pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_stop_io(context: *mut dc_context_t) {
     if context.is_null() {
         eprintln!("ignoring careless call to dc_shutdown()");
         return;
diff --git a/python/fail_test.py b/python/fail_test.py
index 736471e71..04229e660 100644
--- a/python/fail_test.py
+++ b/python/fail_test.py
@@ -4,4 +4,4 @@ from deltachat.capi import ffi, lib
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     ctx = capi.lib.dc_context_new(ffi.NULL, ffi.NULL)
-    lib.dc_io_stop(ctx)
+    lib.dc_stop_io(ctx)
diff --git a/python/src/deltachat/account.py b/python/src/deltachat/account.py
index 14741bf88..fba5b6186 100644
--- a/python/src/deltachat/account.py
+++ b/python/src/deltachat/account.py
@@ -460,7 +460,7 @@ class Account(object):
         If sending out was unsuccessful, a RuntimeError is raised.
         """
         self.check_is_configured()
-        if not self._event_thread.is_alive() or not self.is_started():
+        if not self.is_started():
             raise RuntimeError("IO not running, can not send out")
         res = lib.dc_initiate_key_transfer(self._dc_context)
         if res == ffi.NULL:
@@ -575,7 +575,7 @@ class Account(object):
         if not self.is_configured():
             self.configure()
             self.wait_configure_finish()
-        lib.dc_io_start(self._dc_context)
+        lib.dc_start_io(self._dc_context)
 
     def configure(self):
         assert not self.is_configured()
@@ -596,7 +596,7 @@ class Account(object):
             del self._configtracker
 
     def is_started(self):
-        return self._event_thread.is_alive() and bool(lib.dc_io_status(self._dc_context))
+        return self._event_thread.is_alive() and bool(lib.dc_is_io_running(self._dc_context))
 
     def wait_shutdown(self):
         """ wait until shutdown of this account has completed. """
@@ -607,9 +607,9 @@ class Account(object):
         self.log("stop_ongoing")
         self.stop_ongoing()
 
-        if bool(lib.dc_io_status(self._dc_context)):
+        if bool(lib.dc_is_io_running(self._dc_context)):
             self.log("context_shutdown (stop core scheduler)")
-            lib.dc_io_stop(self._dc_context)
+            lib.dc_stop_io(self._dc_context)
         else:
             self.log("stop_scheduler called on non-running context")