diff --git a/test/imap_actions_messages_test.go b/test/imap_actions_messages_test.go
index 191d05ec..7ec1f0dd 100644
--- a/test/imap_actions_messages_test.go
+++ b/test/imap_actions_messages_test.go
@@ -186,6 +186,10 @@ func imapClientsMoveMessageSeqOfUserFromToByOrederedOperations(sourceIMAPClient,
 	if account == nil {
 		return godog.ErrPending
 	}
+
+	// call NOOP to prevent unilateral updates in following FETCH
+	ctx.GetIMAPClient(sourceIMAPClient).Noop().AssertOK()
+
 	msgStr, err := extractMessageBodyFromImapResponse(ctx.GetIMAPClient(sourceIMAPClient).Fetch(messageSeq, "BODY.PEEK[]").AssertOK())
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
diff --git a/test/mocks/imap_client.go b/test/mocks/imap_client.go
index 8c932619..808f5515 100644
--- a/test/mocks/imap_client.go
+++ b/test/mocks/imap_client.go
@@ -253,6 +253,10 @@ func (c *IMAPClient) ExpungeUID(ids string) *IMAPResponse {
 	return c.SendCommand(fmt.Sprintf("UID EXPUNGE %s", ids))
 }
 
+func (c *IMAPClient) Noop() *IMAPResponse {
+	return c.SendCommand("NOOP")
+}
+
 // Extennsions
 // Extennsions: IDLE