diff --git a/python/src/deltachat/account.py b/python/src/deltachat/account.py
index 6089a5362..702897281 100644
--- a/python/src/deltachat/account.py
+++ b/python/src/deltachat/account.py
@@ -509,7 +509,7 @@ class Account(object):
     # meta API for start/stop and event based processing
     #
 
-    def start_threads(self, mvbox=False, sentbox=False):
+    def start_threads(self):
         """ start IMAP/SMTP threads (and configure account if it hasn't happened).
 
         :raises: ValueError if 'addr' or 'mail_pw' are not configured.
@@ -517,7 +517,7 @@ class Account(object):
         """
         if not self.is_configured():
             self.configure()
-        self._threads.start(mvbox=mvbox, sentbox=sentbox)
+        self._threads.start()
 
     def stop_threads(self, wait=True):
         """ stop IMAP/SMTP threads. """
@@ -569,16 +569,15 @@ class IOThreads:
     def is_started(self):
         return len(self._name2thread) > 0
 
-    def start(self, imap=True, smtp=True, mvbox=False, sentbox=False):
+    def start(self):
         assert not self.is_started()
-        if imap:
-            self._start_one_thread("inbox", self.imap_thread_run)
-        if mvbox:
+        self._start_one_thread("inbox", self.imap_thread_run)
+        self._start_one_thread("smtp", self.smtp_thread_run)
+
+        if int(self.account.get_config("mvbox_watch")):
             self._start_one_thread("mvbox", self.mvbox_thread_run)
-        if sentbox:
+        if int(self.account.get_config("sentbox_watch")):
             self._start_one_thread("sentbox", self.sentbox_thread_run)
-        if smtp:
-            self._start_one_thread("smtp", self.smtp_thread_run)
 
     def _start_one_thread(self, name, func):
         self._name2thread[name] = t = threading.Thread(target=func, name=name)
@@ -600,8 +599,10 @@ class IOThreads:
 
         lib.dc_interrupt_imap_idle(self._dc_context)
         lib.dc_interrupt_smtp_idle(self._dc_context)
-        lib.dc_interrupt_mvbox_idle(self._dc_context)
-        lib.dc_interrupt_sentbox_idle(self._dc_context)
+        if "mvbox" in self._name2thread:
+            lib.dc_interrupt_mvbox_idle(self._dc_context)
+        if "sentbox" in self._name2thread:
+            lib.dc_interrupt_sentbox_idle(self._dc_context)
         if wait:
             for name, thread in self._name2thread.items():
                 thread.join()
diff --git a/python/tests/conftest.py b/python/tests/conftest.py
index 753114eee..50b35beb1 100644
--- a/python/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/python/tests/conftest.py
@@ -228,8 +228,10 @@ def acfactory(pytestconfig, tmpdir, request, session_liveconfig, datadir):
             ac, configdict = self.get_online_config(
                 pre_generated_key=pre_generated_key)
             configdict.update(config)
+            configdict["mvbox_watch"] = str(int(mvbox))
+            configdict["mvbox_move"] = "1"
             ac.configure(**configdict)
-            ac.start_threads(mvbox=mvbox, sentbox=sentbox)
+            ac.start_threads()
             return ac
 
         def get_one_online_account(self, pre_generated_key=True):
@@ -255,7 +257,13 @@ def acfactory(pytestconfig, tmpdir, request, session_liveconfig, datadir):
                 self._preconfigure_key(ac, account.get_config("addr"))
             ac._evtracker.init_time = self.init_time
             ac._evtracker.set_timeout(30)
-            ac.configure(addr=account.get_config("addr"), mail_pw=account.get_config("mail_pw"))
+            ac.configure(
+                addr=account.get_config("addr"),
+                mail_pw=account.get_config("mail_pw"),
+                mvbox_watch=account.get_config("mvbox_watch"),
+                mvbox_move=account.get_config("mvbox_move"),
+                sentbox_watch=account.get_config("sentbox_watch"),
+            )
             ac.start_threads()
             return ac
 
diff --git a/python/tests/test_increation.py b/python/tests/test_increation.py
index a1b4384ac..d2f16285f 100644
--- a/python/tests/test_increation.py
+++ b/python/tests/test_increation.py
@@ -92,21 +92,21 @@ class TestOnlineInCreation:
 
         lp.sec("wait for the messages to be delivered to SMTP")
         ev = ac1._evtracker.get_matching("DC_EVENT_MSG_DELIVERED")
-        assert ev[1] == chat.id
-        assert ev[2] == prepared_original.id
+        assert ev.data1 == chat.id
+        assert ev.data2 == prepared_original.id
         ev = ac1._evtracker.get_matching("DC_EVENT_MSG_DELIVERED")
-        assert ev[1] == chat2.id
-        assert ev[2] == forwarded_id
+        assert ev.data1 == chat2.id
+        assert ev.data2 == forwarded_id
 
         lp.sec("wait1 for original or forwarded messages to arrive")
         ev1 = ac2._evtracker.get_matching("DC_EVENT_MSGS_CHANGED")
-        assert ev1[1] > const.DC_CHAT_ID_LAST_SPECIAL
-        received_original = ac2.get_message_by_id(ev1[2])
+        assert ev1.data1 > const.DC_CHAT_ID_LAST_SPECIAL
+        received_original = ac2.get_message_by_id(ev1.data2)
         assert cmp(received_original.filename, orig, shallow=False)
 
         lp.sec("wait2 for original or forwarded messages to arrive")
         ev2 = ac2._evtracker.get_matching("DC_EVENT_MSGS_CHANGED")
-        assert ev2[1] > const.DC_CHAT_ID_LAST_SPECIAL
-        assert ev2[1] != ev1[1]
-        received_copy = ac2.get_message_by_id(ev2[2])
+        assert ev2.data1 > const.DC_CHAT_ID_LAST_SPECIAL
+        assert ev2.data1 != ev1.data1
+        received_copy = ac2.get_message_by_id(ev2.data2)
         assert cmp(received_copy.filename, orig, shallow=False)