diff --git a/app/src/main/kotlin/org/libremail/mail/ImapClient.kt b/app/src/main/kotlin/org/libremail/mail/ImapClient.kt
index 11d36d9..d232967 100644
--- a/app/src/main/kotlin/org/libremail/mail/ImapClient.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/kotlin/org/libremail/mail/ImapClient.kt
@@ -17,10 +17,11 @@ import java.util.Properties
 import javax.inject.Inject
 import javax.inject.Singleton
 import kotlinx.coroutines.Dispatchers
+import kotlinx.coroutines.NonCancellable
+import kotlinx.coroutines.awaitCancellation
 import kotlinx.coroutines.channels.Channel
 import kotlinx.coroutines.coroutineScope
 import kotlinx.coroutines.isActive
-import kotlinx.coroutines.job
 import kotlinx.coroutines.launch
 import kotlinx.coroutines.withContext
 import org.eclipse.angus.mail.imap.IMAPFolder
@@ -167,8 +168,17 @@ class ImapClient @Inject constructor() {
                 val syncer = launch {
                     for (signal in pushes) onActivity()
                 }
-                // Closing the store from the cancellation handler unblocks the blocking idle() below.
-                val handle = coroutineContext.job.invokeOnCompletion { runCatching { store.close() } }
+                // Close the connection the moment this scope is cancelled (renewal timeout or
+                // service stop). Doing it here — at cancellation *start*, not job completion —
+                // unblocks the blocking idle() read below so the loop exits promptly; a
+                // completion handler would never run while idle() is still blocked.
+                val closer = launch {
+                    try {
+                        awaitCancellation()
+                    } finally {
+                        withContext(NonCancellable) { runCatching { store.close() } }
+                    }
+                }
                 // Sync once on connect to catch anything that arrived before IDLE was established.
                 pushes.trySend(Unit)
                 try {
@@ -178,9 +188,9 @@ class ImapClient @Inject constructor() {
                 } catch (e: Exception) {
                     if (isActive) throw e // a real connection error: let the caller reconnect
                 } finally {
-                    handle.dispose()
-                    pushes.close()
+                    closer.cancel()
                     syncer.cancel()
+                    pushes.close()
                     runCatching { inbox.close(false) }
                     runCatching { store.close() }
                 }
diff --git a/app/src/main/kotlin/org/libremail/push/IdleService.kt b/app/src/main/kotlin/org/libremail/push/IdleService.kt
index 0484581..3c2b9b9 100644
--- a/app/src/main/kotlin/org/libremail/push/IdleService.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/kotlin/org/libremail/push/IdleService.kt
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import kotlinx.coroutines.cancel
 import kotlinx.coroutines.delay
 import kotlinx.coroutines.isActive
 import kotlinx.coroutines.launch
+import kotlinx.coroutines.withTimeoutOrNull
 import org.libremail.R
 import org.libremail.data.local.dao.AccountDao
 import org.libremail.data.local.toDomain
@@ -62,13 +63,22 @@ class IdleService : Service() {
         accounts.forEach { account -> scope.launch { watchAccount(account) } }
     }
 
-    /** Holds IDLE for one account, reconnecting with exponential backoff whenever it drops. */
+    /**
+     * Holds IDLE for one account, reconnecting with exponential backoff whenever it drops.
+     * Each IDLE session is bounded by [IDLE_RENEWAL_MS]: when it elapses, [withTimeoutOrNull]
+     * cancels idle() (which closes the connection to unblock it) and we reconnect with a fresh
+     * IDLE. This re-issues IDLE well within RFC 2177's 29-minute limit and before NAT/firewall
+     * idle-socket timeouts would silently strand the connection. Each reconnect catches up via
+     * idle()'s on-connect sync, so no mail is missed across renewals.
+     */
     private suspend fun watchAccount(account: Account) {
         var backoffMs = INITIAL_BACKOFF_MS
         while (scope.isActive) {
             try {
                 val params = connectionFactory.imapParamsFor(account)
-                imapClient.idle(params) { mailSyncer.syncAll() }
+                withTimeoutOrNull(IDLE_RENEWAL_MS) {
+                    imapClient.idle(params) { mailSyncer.syncAll() }
+                }
                 backoffMs = INITIAL_BACKOFF_MS
             } catch (e: CancellationException) {
                 throw e
@@ -115,5 +125,9 @@ class IdleService : Service() {
         const val FOREGROUND_ID = 1002
         const val INITIAL_BACKOFF_MS = 5_000L
         const val MAX_BACKOFF_MS = 5 * 60_000L
+
+        // Re-establish IDLE on this cadence — under RFC 2177's 29-minute ceiling and short enough
+        // to beat typical NAT/firewall idle-socket timeouts.
+        const val IDLE_RENEWAL_MS = 9 * 60_000L
     }
 }