diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 3af3e0b2..183c00f9 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -30,3 +30,4 @@ dotfiles/config/user-dirs.dirs
 dotfiles/config/user-dirs.locale
 dotfiles/config/vlc/
 dotfiles/config/nemo/
+/.mail-sync
diff --git a/dotfiles/lib/shellrc/mu4e.sh b/dotfiles/lib/shellrc/mu4e.sh
index c46ce73f..b566922e 100644
--- a/dotfiles/lib/shellrc/mu4e.sh
+++ b/dotfiles/lib/shellrc/mu4e.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 MAILDIR="$HOME/Mail"
 DBUS_COOKIE="$HOME/.sauron-dbus"
+SYNC_STAMP="$HOME/.mail-sync"
 
 function sauron_msg {
     if test -z "$DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS"; then
@@ -22,7 +23,10 @@ function sauron_msg {
 
 function update_mail {
     offlineimap
-    for f in `find "$MAILDIR/INBOX/" -mmin -5 -a -type f`; do
-        sauron_msg "Gmail" "$(mu view $f | grep -B 10 Date)"
+    touch "${SYNC_STAMP}.in-progress"
+    for f in `find "$MAILDIR" -cnewer $SYNC_STAMP -a -type f`; do
+	local message="$(mu view $f | grep -B 10 Date)"
+	test -n "$message" && sauron_msg "Gmail" "$message"
     done
+    mv "${SYNC_STAMP}.in-progress" $SYNC_STAMP
 }