diff --git a/src/lib-storage/index/dbox-multi/mdbox-storage.c b/src/lib-storage/index/dbox-multi/mdbox-storage.c
index 95585d0659..91e6fa3ce8 100644
--- a/src/lib-storage/index/dbox-multi/mdbox-storage.c
+++ b/src/lib-storage/index/dbox-multi/mdbox-storage.c
@@ -308,8 +308,11 @@ mdbox_write_index_header(struct mailbox *box,
 	}
 	mail_index_view_close(&view);
 
-	if (box->inbox_user)
+	if (box->inbox_user && box->creating) {
+		/* initialize pop3-uidl header when creating mailbox
+		   (not on mailbox_update()) */
 		index_pop3_uidl_set_max_uid(box, trans, 0);
+	}
 
 	mdbox_update_header(mbox, trans, update);
 	if (new_trans != NULL) {
diff --git a/src/lib-storage/index/dbox-single/sdbox-storage.c b/src/lib-storage/index/dbox-single/sdbox-storage.c
index 05b42a313d..2dac9a81e9 100644
--- a/src/lib-storage/index/dbox-single/sdbox-storage.c
+++ b/src/lib-storage/index/dbox-single/sdbox-storage.c
@@ -263,8 +263,11 @@ int sdbox_mailbox_create_indexes(struct mailbox *box,
 						 update->min_highest_modseq);
 	}
 
-	if (box->inbox_user)
+	if (box->inbox_user && box->creating) {
+		/* initialize pop3-uidl header when creating mailbox
+		   (not on mailbox_update()) */
 		index_pop3_uidl_set_max_uid(box, trans, 0);
+	}
 
 	sdbox_update_header(mbox, trans, update);
 	if (new_trans != NULL) {