diff --git a/src/driver.h b/src/driver.h
index 3aa30a9..dcf9255 100644
--- a/src/driver.h
+++ b/src/driver.h
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ typedef struct store_conf {
 	const char *trash;
 	uint max_size; /* off_t is overkill */
 	char trash_remote_new, trash_only_new;
-	char failed;
 } store_conf_t;
 
 /* For message->flags */
@@ -249,6 +248,9 @@ struct driver {
 
 	/* Get approximate amount of memory occupied by the driver. */
 	int (*memory_usage)( store_t *ctx );
+
+	/* Get the FAIL_* state of the driver. */
+	int (*fail_state)( store_conf_t *conf );
 };
 
 void free_generic_messages( message_t * );
diff --git a/src/drv_imap.c b/src/drv_imap.c
index 7b41864..85fae81 100644
--- a/src/drv_imap.c
+++ b/src/drv_imap.c
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ typedef struct imap_server_conf {
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBSSL
 	char ssl_type;
 #endif
+	char failed;
 } imap_server_conf_t;
 
 typedef struct imap_store_conf {
@@ -2156,7 +2157,7 @@ imap_open_store_bail( imap_store_t *ctx, int failed )
 {
 	void (*cb)( store_t *srv, void *aux ) = ctx->callbacks.imap_open;
 	void *aux = ctx->callback_aux;
-	ctx->gen.conf->failed = failed;
+	((imap_store_conf_t *)ctx->gen.conf)->server->failed = failed;
 	imap_cancel_store( &ctx->gen );
 	cb( 0, aux );
 }
@@ -2658,6 +2659,14 @@ imap_memory_usage( store_t *gctx )
 	return ctx->buffer_mem + ctx->conn.buffer_mem;
 }
 
+/******************* imap_fail_state *******************/
+
+static int
+imap_fail_state( store_conf_t *gconf )
+{
+	return ((imap_store_conf_t *)gconf)->server->failed;
+}
+
 /******************* imap_parse_store *******************/
 
 imap_server_conf_t *servers, **serverapp = &servers;
@@ -2937,4 +2946,5 @@ struct driver imap_driver = {
 	imap_cancel_cmds,
 	imap_commit_cmds,
 	imap_memory_usage,
+	imap_fail_state,
 };
diff --git a/src/drv_maildir.c b/src/drv_maildir.c
index b96950c..b9ed463 100644
--- a/src/drv_maildir.c
+++ b/src/drv_maildir.c
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ typedef struct maildir_store_conf {
 	int alt_map;
 #endif /* USE_DB */
 	char info_delimiter;
+	char failed;
 	char *info_prefix, *info_stop; /* precalculated from info_delimiter */
 } maildir_store_conf_t;
 
@@ -141,12 +142,12 @@ maildir_validate_path( store_conf_t *conf )
 
 	if (!conf->path) {
 		error( "Maildir error: store '%s' has no Path\n", conf->name );
-		conf->failed = FAIL_FINAL;
+		((maildir_store_conf_t *)conf)->failed = FAIL_FINAL;
 		return -1;
 	}
 	if (stat( conf->path, &st ) || !S_ISDIR(st.st_mode)) {
 		error( "Maildir error: cannot open store '%s'\n", conf->path );
-		conf->failed = FAIL_FINAL;
+		((maildir_store_conf_t *)conf)->failed = FAIL_FINAL;
 		return -1;
 	}
 	return 0;
@@ -432,7 +433,7 @@ maildir_validate( const char *box, int create, maildir_store_t *ctx )
 			return DRV_BOX_BAD;
 		if (make_box_dir( buf, bl )) {
 			sys_error( "Maildir error: cannot create mailbox '%s'", box );
-			ctx->gen.conf->failed = FAIL_FINAL;
+			((maildir_store_conf_t *)ctx->gen.conf)->failed = FAIL_FINAL;
 			maildir_invoke_bad_callback( &ctx->gen );
 			return DRV_CANCELED;
 		}
@@ -1630,6 +1631,12 @@ maildir_memory_usage( store_t *gctx ATTR_UNUSED )
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static int
+maildir_fail_state( store_conf_t *gconf )
+{
+	return ((maildir_store_conf_t *)gconf)->failed;
+}
+
 static int
 maildir_parse_store( conffile_t *cfg, store_conf_t **storep )
 {
@@ -1698,4 +1705,5 @@ struct driver maildir_driver = {
 	maildir_cancel_cmds,
 	maildir_commit_cmds,
 	maildir_memory_usage,
+	maildir_fail_state,
 };
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 2ed0b31..23b6931 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -757,8 +757,10 @@ sync_chans( main_vars_t *mvars, int ent )
 		info( "Channel %s\n", mvars->chan->name );
 		mvars->skip = mvars->cben = 0;
 		for (t = 0; t < 2; t++) {
-			if (mvars->chan->stores[t]->failed != FAIL_TEMP) {
-				info( "Skipping due to failed %s store %s.\n", str_ms[t], mvars->chan->stores[t]->name );
+			int st = mvars->chan->stores[t]->driver->fail_state( mvars->chan->stores[t] );
+			if (st != FAIL_TEMP) {
+				info( "Skipping due to %sfailed %s store %s.\n",
+				      (st == FAIL_WAIT) ? "temporarily " : "", str_ms[t], mvars->chan->stores[t]->name );
 				mvars->skip = 1;
 			}
 		}