diff --git a/frontend/pages/email/index.vue b/frontend/pages/email/index.vue
index 0046dad..496ae0e 100644
--- a/frontend/pages/email/index.vue
+++ b/frontend/pages/email/index.vue
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ const loadingMessages = ref(false)
 const loadingMessage = ref(false)
 const syncing = ref(false)
 const expandedMailboxPaths = ref<string[]>([])
+const syncedMailboxPaths = ref<string[]>([])
 
 const selectedAccount = computed(() =>
     accounts.value.find((account) => account.id === selectedAccountId.value) || null
@@ -294,6 +295,7 @@ async function loadAccounts() {
 async function loadMailboxes() {
   if (!selectedAccountId.value) return
 
+  const previousMailboxPath = selectedMailboxPath.value
   loadingMailboxes.value = true
   selectedMessage.value = null
 
@@ -301,7 +303,8 @@ async function loadMailboxes() {
     mailboxes.value = await $api(`/api/email/accounts/${selectedAccountId.value}/mailboxes`)
     resetExpandedMailboxes()
     const inbox = mailboxes.value.find((mailbox) => mailbox.specialUse === "\\Inbox" || mailbox.path.toUpperCase() === "INBOX")
-    selectedMailboxPath.value = inbox?.path || mailboxes.value[0]?.path || "INBOX"
+    const previousMailbox = mailboxes.value.find((mailbox) => mailbox.path === previousMailboxPath)
+    selectedMailboxPath.value = previousMailbox?.path || inbox?.path || mailboxes.value[0]?.path || "INBOX"
     expandMailboxAncestors(selectedMailboxPath.value)
     await loadMessages()
   } finally {
@@ -309,19 +312,20 @@ async function loadMailboxes() {
   }
 }
 
-async function loadMessages() {
+async function loadMessages(options: { syncIfEmpty?: boolean } = {}) {
   if (!selectedAccountId.value || !selectedMailboxPath.value) return
 
   loadingMessages.value = true
   selectedMessage.value = null
 
   try {
-    messages.value = await $api(`/api/email/accounts/${selectedAccountId.value}/messages`, {
-      query: {
-        mailbox: selectedMailboxPath.value,
-        limit: 100,
-      },
-    })
+    messages.value = await fetchMessages(selectedMailboxPath.value)
+
+    if (!messages.value.length && options.syncIfEmpty && !syncedMailboxPaths.value.includes(selectedMailboxPath.value)) {
+      await syncSelectedMailbox({ silent: true, reloadMailboxes: false })
+      syncedMailboxPaths.value = [...syncedMailboxPaths.value, selectedMailboxPath.value]
+      messages.value = await fetchMessages(selectedMailboxPath.value)
+    }
 
     if (messages.value.length) {
       await selectMessage(messages.value[0])
@@ -331,10 +335,19 @@ async function loadMessages() {
   }
 }
 
+async function fetchMessages(mailboxPath: string) {
+  return await $api(`/api/email/accounts/${selectedAccountId.value}/messages`, {
+    query: {
+      mailbox: mailboxPath,
+      limit: 100,
+    },
+  })
+}
+
 async function selectMailbox(mailbox: EmailMailbox) {
   selectedMailboxPath.value = mailbox.path
   expandMailboxAncestors(mailbox.path)
-  await loadMessages()
+  await loadMessages({ syncIfEmpty: true })
 }
 
 async function selectMessage(message: EmailMessage) {
@@ -384,6 +397,10 @@ async function setMessageSeen(messageId: string, seen: boolean) {
 async function syncAccount() {
   if (!selectedAccountId.value) return
 
+  await syncSelectedMailbox({ silent: false, reloadMailboxes: true })
+}
+
+async function syncSelectedMailbox(options: { silent: boolean; reloadMailboxes: boolean }) {
   syncing.value = true
   try {
     const res = await $api(`/api/email/accounts/${selectedAccountId.value}/sync`, {
@@ -394,19 +411,25 @@ async function syncAccount() {
       },
     })
 
-    toast.add({
-      title: "E-Mails synchronisiert",
-      description: `${res.synced?.[0]?.fetched || 0} neue Nachrichten geladen`,
-      color: "success",
-    })
+    if (!options.silent) {
+      toast.add({
+        title: "E-Mails synchronisiert",
+        description: `${res.synced?.[0]?.fetched || 0} neue Nachrichten geladen`,
+        color: "success",
+      })
+    }
 
-    await loadMailboxes()
+    if (options.reloadMailboxes) {
+      await loadMailboxes()
+    }
   } catch (err: any) {
-    toast.add({
-      title: "Synchronisation fehlgeschlagen",
-      description: err?.data?.error || err?.message || "Das Postfach konnte nicht synchronisiert werden.",
-      color: "error",
-    })
+    if (!options.silent) {
+      toast.add({
+        title: "Synchronisation fehlgeschlagen",
+        description: err?.data?.error || err?.message || "Das Postfach konnte nicht synchronisiert werden.",
+        color: "error",
+      })
+    }
   } finally {
     syncing.value = false
   }