diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 00417300b..4b747891d 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 - call slow `delete_expired_imap_messages()` less often #3037
 - make synchronization of Seen status more robust in case unsolicited FETCH
   result without UID is returned #3022
+- fetch Inbox before scanning folders to ensure iOS does
+  not kill the app before it gets to fetch the Inbox in background #3040
 
 
 ## 1.72.0
diff --git a/src/imap/scan_folders.rs b/src/imap/scan_folders.rs
index 2fcef3505..bf0e38480 100644
--- a/src/imap/scan_folders.rs
+++ b/src/imap/scan_folders.rs
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ use async_std::prelude::*;
 use super::{get_folder_meaning, get_folder_meaning_by_name};
 
 impl Imap {
-    pub(crate) async fn scan_folders(&mut self, context: &Context) -> Result<()> {
+    /// Returns true if folders were scanned, false if scanning was postponed.
+    pub(crate) async fn scan_folders(&mut self, context: &Context) -> Result<bool> {
         // First of all, debounce to once per minute:
         let mut last_scan = context.last_full_folder_scan.lock().await;
         if let Some(last_scan) = *last_scan {
@@ -20,7 +21,7 @@ impl Imap {
                 .await?;
 
             if elapsed_secs < debounce_secs {
-                return Ok(());
+                return Ok(false);
             }
         }
         info!(context, "Starting full folder scan");
@@ -98,7 +99,7 @@ impl Imap {
         }
 
         last_scan.replace(Instant::now());
-        Ok(())
+        Ok(true)
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/scheduler.rs b/src/scheduler.rs
index fe1637a10..0cbfd5e92 100644
--- a/src/scheduler.rs
+++ b/src/scheduler.rs
@@ -169,25 +169,42 @@ async fn fetch_idle(ctx: &Context, connection: &mut Imap, folder: Config) -> Int
                 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.
-            if folder == Config::ConfiguredInboxFolder {
-                // Only scan on the Inbox thread in order to prevent parallel scans, which might lead to duplicate messages
-                if let Err(err) = connection.scan_folders(ctx).await {
-                    // Don't reconnect, if there is a problem with the connection we will realize this when IDLEing
-                    // but maybe just one folder can't be selected or something
-                    warn!(ctx, "{}", err);
-                }
-            }
-
-            // fetch
+            // Fetch the watched folder.
             if let Err(err) = connection.fetch_move_delete(ctx, &watch_folder).await {
                 connection.trigger_reconnect(ctx).await;
                 warn!(ctx, "{:#}", err);
                 return InterruptInfo::new(false);
             }
 
+            // Scan additional folders only after finishing fetching the watched folder.
+            //
+            // On iOS the application has strictly limited time to work in background, so we may not
+            // be able to scan all folders before time is up if there are many of them.
+            if folder == Config::ConfiguredInboxFolder {
+                // Only scan on the Inbox thread in order to prevent parallel scans, which might lead to duplicate messages
+                match connection.scan_folders(ctx).await {
+                    Err(err) => {
+                        // Don't reconnect, if there is a problem with the connection we will realize this when IDLEing
+                        // but maybe just one folder can't be selected or something
+                        warn!(ctx, "{}", err);
+                    }
+                    Ok(true) => {
+                        // Fetch the watched folder again in case scanning other folder moved messages
+                        // there.
+                        //
+                        // In most cases this will select the watched folder and return because there are
+                        // no new messages. We want to select the watched folder anyway before going IDLE
+                        // there, so this does not take additional protocol round-trip.
+                        if let Err(err) = connection.fetch_move_delete(ctx, &watch_folder).await {
+                            connection.trigger_reconnect(ctx).await;
+                            warn!(ctx, "{:#}", err);
+                            return InterruptInfo::new(false);
+                        }
+                    }
+                    Ok(false) => {}
+                }
+            }
+
             // Synchronize Seen flags.
             if let Err(err) = connection
                 .sync_seen_flags(ctx, &watch_folder)