diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 9ad5e3b42..968aa57c2 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 
 ### Fixes
 - fix splitting off text from webxdc messages #3032
+- call slow `delete_expired_imap_messages()` less often #3037
 
 
 ## 1.72.0
diff --git a/src/imap.rs b/src/imap.rs
index 6115e58b0..862fc3fb0 100644
--- a/src/imap.rs
+++ b/src/imap.rs
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ use crate::context::Context;
 use crate::dc_receive_imf::{
     dc_receive_imf_inner, from_field_to_contact_id, get_prefetch_parent_message, ReceivedMsg,
 };
-use crate::ephemeral::delete_expired_imap_messages;
 use crate::events::EventType;
 use crate::headerdef::{HeaderDef, HeaderDefMap};
 use crate::job::{self, Action};
@@ -459,9 +458,6 @@ impl Imap {
             .await
             .context("fetch_new_messages")?;
 
-        // Mark expired messages for deletion.
-        delete_expired_imap_messages(context).await?;
-
         self.move_messages(context, watch_folder)
             .await
             .context("move_messages")?;
diff --git a/src/scheduler.rs b/src/scheduler.rs
index 7489961bc..2cff9b7d5 100644
--- a/src/scheduler.rs
+++ b/src/scheduler.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use anyhow::{bail, Result};
+use anyhow::{bail, Context as _, Result};
 use async_std::prelude::*;
 use async_std::{
     channel::{self, Receiver, Sender},
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ use async_std::{
 use crate::config::Config;
 use crate::context::Context;
 use crate::dc_tools::maybe_add_time_based_warnings;
+use crate::ephemeral::delete_expired_imap_messages;
 use crate::imap::Imap;
 use crate::job::{self, Thread};
 use crate::smtp::{send_smtp_messages, Smtp};
@@ -160,6 +161,14 @@ async fn fetch_idle(ctx: &Context, connection: &mut Imap, folder: Config) -> Int
                 return connection.fake_idle(ctx, Some(watch_folder)).await;
             }
 
+            // Mark expired messages for deletion.
+            if let Err(err) = delete_expired_imap_messages(ctx)
+                .await
+                .context("delete_expired_imap_messages failed")
+            {
+                warn!(ctx, "{:#}", err);
+            }
+
             // Scan other folders before fetching from watched folder. This may result in the
             // messages being moved into the watched folder, for example from the Spam folder to
             // the Inbox folder.