diff --git a/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/metadata.py b/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/metadata.py
index 0cfc4817..7a55edec 100644
--- a/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/metadata.py
+++ b/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/metadata.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import pwd
 
 from queue import Queue
+from threading import Thread
 from socketserver import (
     UnixStreamServer,
     StreamRequestHandler,
@@ -31,21 +32,24 @@ class Notifier:
     def new_message_for_guid(self, guid):
         self.to_notify_queue.put(guid)
 
-    def thread_run(self):
+    def thread_run_loop(self):
         requests_session = requests.Session()
         while 1:
-            guid = self.to_notify_queue.get()
-            token = self.guid2token.get(guid)
-            if token:
-                response = requests_session.post(
-                    "https://notifications.delta.chat/notify",
-                    data=token,
-                    timeout=60,
-                )
-                if response.status_code == 410:
-                    # 410 Gone status code
-                    # means the token is no longer valid.
-                    del self.guid2token[guid]
+            self.thread_run_one(requests_session)
+
+    def thread_run_one(self, requests_session):
+        guid = self.to_notify_queue.get()
+        token = self.guid2token.get(guid)
+        if token:
+            response = requests_session.post(
+                "https://notifications.delta.chat/notify",
+                data=token,
+                timeout=60,
+            )
+            if response.status_code == 410:
+                # 410 Gone status code
+                # means the token is no longer valid.
+                del self.guid2token[guid]
 
 
 def handle_dovecot_protocol(rfile, wfile, notifier):
@@ -131,6 +135,13 @@ def main():
     except FileNotFoundError:
         pass
 
+    # start notifier thread for signalling new messages to
+    # Delta Chat notification server
+
+    t = Thread(target=notifier.thread_run_loop)
+    t.setDaemon(1)
+    t.start()
+
     with ThreadedUnixStreamServer(socket, Handler) as server:
         os.chown(socket, uid=passwd_entry.pw_uid, gid=passwd_entry.pw_gid)
         try:
diff --git a/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/tests/test_metadata.py b/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/tests/test_metadata.py
index e0b66405..051ec747 100644
--- a/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/tests/test_metadata.py
+++ b/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/tests/test_metadata.py
@@ -87,3 +87,45 @@ def test_handle_dovecot_protocol_messagenew():
     assert wfile.getvalue() == b"O\n"
     assert notifier.to_notify_queue.get() == "guid00"
     assert notifier.to_notify_queue.qsize() == 0
+
+
+def test_notifier_thread_run():
+    requests = []
+
+    class ReqMock:
+        def post(self, url, data, timeout):
+            requests.append((url, data, timeout))
+
+            class Result:
+                status_code = 200
+
+            return Result()
+
+    notifier = Notifier()
+    notifier.set_token("guid00", "01234")
+    notifier.new_message_for_guid("guid00")
+    notifier.thread_run_one(ReqMock())
+    url, data, timeout = requests[0]
+    assert data == "01234"
+
+
+def test_notifier_thread_run_gone_removes_token():
+    requests = []
+
+    class ReqMock:
+        def post(self, url, data, timeout):
+            requests.append((url, data, timeout))
+
+            class Result:
+                status_code = 410
+
+            return Result()
+
+    notifier = Notifier()
+    notifier.set_token("guid00", "01234")
+    notifier.new_message_for_guid("guid00")
+    assert notifier.guid2token["guid00"] == "01234"
+    notifier.thread_run_one(ReqMock())
+    url, data, timeout = requests[0]
+    assert data == "01234"
+    assert len(notifier.guid2token) == 0