diff --git a/src/lib/mail/imap.ts b/src/lib/mail/imap.ts
index 4e9d638..a5783d9 100644
--- a/src/lib/mail/imap.ts
+++ b/src/lib/mail/imap.ts
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ function extractBody(parsed: ParsedMail): string {
 async function handleRawMessage(source: Buffer): Promise<void> {
   const parsed = await simpleParser(source);
   const from = parsed.from?.value[0];
+  console.log(`[mail] parsed message from=${from?.address ?? "(none)"} subject=${JSON.stringify(parsed.subject)}`);
   if (!from?.address) return; // no return address — nothing to reply to, skip
 
   const referencedIds = [
@@ -59,13 +60,28 @@ async function processUnseenMessages(client: ImapFlow): Promise<void> {
   const lock = await client.getMailboxLock("INBOX");
   try {
     const uids = await client.search({ seen: false }, { uid: true });
-    if (!uids || uids.length === 0) return;
+    if (!uids || uids.length === 0) {
+      console.log("[mail] unseen check: 0 messages");
+      return;
+    }
+    console.log(`[mail] unseen check: ${uids.length} message(s)`);
 
-    for await (const message of client.fetch(uids, { source: true, uid: true })) {
-      if (message.source) {
-        await handleRawMessage(message.source);
+    // One at a time, each in its own try/catch — a message that vanishes
+    // between search and fetch (seen once with a real mail server) must not
+    // abort processing of the rest of the batch.
+    for (const uid of uids) {
+      try {
+        const message = await client.fetchOne(uid, { source: true }, { uid: true });
+        if (message && message.source) {
+          await handleRawMessage(message.source);
+          console.log(`[mail] processed message uid=${uid}`);
+        } else {
+          console.warn(`[mail] message uid=${uid} had no source (already gone?)`);
+        }
+        await client.messageFlagsAdd(uid, ["\\Seen"], { uid: true });
+      } catch (err) {
+        console.error(`[mail] failed to process message uid=${uid}:`, err);
       }
-      await client.messageFlagsAdd(message.uid, ["\\Seen"], { uid: true });
     }
   } finally {
     lock.release();
@@ -75,12 +91,20 @@ async function processUnseenMessages(client: ImapFlow): Promise<void> {
 async function runIdleLoop(client: ImapFlow): Promise<void> {
   try {
     await client.mailboxOpen("INBOX");
+    console.log("[mail] IDLE listener connected, watching INBOX");
     await processUnseenMessages(client);
 
+    // New mail is signaled by the 'exists' event while IDLE is active — it's
+    // independent of when idle() itself resolves (that happens on periodic
+    // re-idle / connection events, not per message). Handle new mail here;
+    // use the loop below purely to keep re-entering IDLE mode.
+    client.on("exists", () => {
+      console.log("[mail] 'exists' event fired — checking for new mail");
+      processUnseenMessages(client).catch((err) => console.error("Error processing new mail:", err));
+    });
+
     while (state.client === client) {
       await client.idle();
-      if (state.client !== client) break;
-      await processUnseenMessages(client);
     }
   } catch (err) {
     if (state.client === client) {