diff --git a/offlineimap/error.py b/offlineimap/error.py
index 9e55162..aa7f535 100644
--- a/offlineimap/error.py
+++ b/offlineimap/error.py
@@ -5,11 +5,12 @@ class OfflineImapError(Exception):
         """Severity level of an Exception
 
         * **MESSAGE**:  Abort the current message, but continue with folder
+        * **FOLDER_RETRY**: Error syncing folder, but do retry
         * **FOLDER**:   Abort folder sync, but continue with next folder
         * **REPO**:     Abort repository sync, continue with next account
         * **CRITICAL**: Immediately exit offlineimap
         """
-        MESSAGE, FOLDER, REPO, CRITICAL = 0, 10, 20, 30
+        MESSAGE, FOLDER_RETRY, FOLDER, REPO, CRITICAL = 0, 10, 15, 20, 30
 
     def __init__(self, reason, severity, errcode=None):
         """
diff --git a/offlineimap/imaplibutil.py b/offlineimap/imaplibutil.py
index fa3a303..529af6f 100644
--- a/offlineimap/imaplibutil.py
+++ b/offlineimap/imaplibutil.py
@@ -49,7 +49,14 @@ class UsefulIMAPMixIn:
             return
         # Wipe out all old responses, to maintain semantics with old imaplib2
         del self.untagged_responses[:]
-        result = self.__class__.__bases__[1].select(self, mailbox, readonly)
+        try:
+            result = self.__class__.__bases__[1].select(self, mailbox, readonly)
+        except self.abort, e:
+            # self.abort is raised when we are supposed to retry
+            errstr = "Server '%s' closed connection, error on SELECT '%s'. Ser"\
+                "ver said: %s" % (self.host, mailbox, e.args[0])
+            severity = OfflineImapError.ERROR.FOLDER_RETRY
+            raise OfflineImapError(errstr, severity) 
         if result[0] != 'OK':
             #in case of error, bail out with OfflineImapError
             errstr = "Error SELECTing mailbox '%s', server reply:\n%s" %\
diff --git a/offlineimap/imapserver.py b/offlineimap/imapserver.py
index 3ce751c..e630f83 100644
--- a/offlineimap/imapserver.py
+++ b/offlineimap/imapserver.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ import socket
 import base64
 import time
 import errno
-
+from sys import exc_info
 from socket import gaierror
 try:
     from ssl import SSLError, cert_time_to_seconds
@@ -456,6 +456,7 @@ class IdleThread(object):
         self.parent = parent
         self.folder = folder
         self.event = Event()
+        self.ui = getglobalui()
         if folder is None:
             self.thread = Thread(target=self.noop)
         else:
@@ -505,13 +506,24 @@ class IdleThread(object):
                     self.imapaborted = True
                     self.stop()
 
-            imapobj = self.parent.acquireconnection()
-            imapobj.select(self.folder)
+            success = False # successfully selected FOLDER?
+            while not success:
+                imapobj = self.parent.acquireconnection()
+                try:
+                    imapobj.select(self.folder)
+                except OfflineImapError, e:
+                    if e.severity == OfflineImapError.ERROR.FOLDER_RETRY:
+                        # Connection closed, release connection and retry
+                        self.ui.error(e, exc_info()[2])
+                        self.parent.releaseconnection(imapobj)
+                    else:
+                        raise e
+                else:
+                    success = True
             if "IDLE" in imapobj.capabilities:
                 imapobj.idle(callback=callback)
             else:
-                ui = getglobalui()
-                ui.warn("IMAP IDLE not supported on connection to %s."
+                self.ui.warn("IMAP IDLE not supported on connection to %s."
                         "Falling back to old behavior: sleeping until next"
                         "refresh cycle."
                         %(imapobj.identifier,))