diff --git a/src/plugins/acl/acl-api.c b/src/plugins/acl/acl-api.c
index 33410a51e78..5891fe9fb6a 100644
--- a/src/plugins/acl/acl-api.c
+++ b/src/plugins/acl/acl-api.c
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ struct acl_letter_map {
 static const struct acl_letter_map acl_letter_map[] = {
 	{ 'l', MAIL_ACL_LOOKUP },
 	{ 'r', MAIL_ACL_READ },
+	{ 'f', MAIL_ACL_FAKE_EMPTY},
 	{ 'w', MAIL_ACL_WRITE },
 	{ 's', MAIL_ACL_WRITE_SEEN },
 	{ 't', MAIL_ACL_WRITE_DELETED },
@@ -78,6 +79,10 @@ int acl_object_have_right(struct acl_object *aclobj, unsigned int right_idx)
 						    MAIL_ACL_READ);
 		if (acl_cache_mask_isset(have_mask, read_idx))
 			return 1;
+		read_idx = acl_backend_lookup_right(aclobj->backend,
+											MAIL_ACL_FAKE_EMPTY);
+		if (acl_cache_mask_isset(have_mask, read_idx))
+			return 1;
 	}
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/src/plugins/acl/acl-api.h b/src/plugins/acl/acl-api.h
index beb28072d42..2eded0d8c8a 100644
--- a/src/plugins/acl/acl-api.h
+++ b/src/plugins/acl/acl-api.h
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ struct acl_object;
 #define MAIL_ACL_LOOKUP		"lookup"
 /* Allow opening mailbox for reading */
 #define MAIL_ACL_READ		"read"
+/* The mailbox is readable but no messages are returned */
+#define MAIL_ACL_FAKE_EMPTY		"fake-empty"
 /* Allow permanent flag changes (except for seen/deleted).
    If not set, doesn't allow save/copy to set any flags either. */
 #define MAIL_ACL_WRITE		"write"
diff --git a/src/plugins/acl/acl-attributes.c b/src/plugins/acl/acl-attributes.c
index 53792924a3e..1a10e0fcc66 100644
--- a/src/plugins/acl/acl-attributes.c
+++ b/src/plugins/acl/acl-attributes.c
@@ -132,6 +132,8 @@ static int acl_have_attribute_rights(struct mailbox *box)
 		return 0;
 	if (acl_mailbox_right_lookup(box, ACL_STORAGE_RIGHT_POST) > 0)
 		return 0;
+	if (acl_mailbox_right_lookup(box, ACL_STORAGE_RIGHT_FAKE_EMPTY) > 0)
+		return 0;
 	return -1;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/acl/acl-backend.c b/src/plugins/acl/acl-backend.c
index e620efa7687..536e17d8107 100644
--- a/src/plugins/acl/acl-backend.c
+++ b/src/plugins/acl/acl-backend.c
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ extern struct acl_backend_vfuncs acl_backend_vfile;
 const char *const all_mailbox_rights[] = {
 	MAIL_ACL_LOOKUP,
 	MAIL_ACL_READ,
+	MAIL_ACL_FAKE_EMPTY,
 	MAIL_ACL_WRITE,
 	MAIL_ACL_WRITE_SEEN,
 	MAIL_ACL_WRITE_DELETED,
diff --git a/src/plugins/acl/acl-mailbox-list.c b/src/plugins/acl/acl-mailbox-list.c
index dace9e99f7d..cde36f9a5ca 100644
--- a/src/plugins/acl/acl-mailbox-list.c
+++ b/src/plugins/acl/acl-mailbox-list.c
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ struct acl_mailbox_list_iterate_context {
 static const char *acl_storage_right_names[ACL_STORAGE_RIGHT_COUNT] = {
 	MAIL_ACL_LOOKUP,
 	MAIL_ACL_READ,
+	MAIL_ACL_FAKE_EMPTY,
 	MAIL_ACL_WRITE,
 	MAIL_ACL_WRITE_SEEN,
 	MAIL_ACL_WRITE_DELETED,
diff --git a/src/plugins/acl/acl-mailbox.c b/src/plugins/acl/acl-mailbox.c
index da6c05b0f69..17f6ad60b7d 100644
--- a/src/plugins/acl/acl-mailbox.c
+++ b/src/plugins/acl/acl-mailbox.c
@@ -364,6 +364,16 @@ void acl_mail_allocated(struct mail *_mail)
 	MODULE_CONTEXT_SET_SELF(mail, acl_mail_module, amail);
 }
 
+bool acl_search_next_nonblock(struct mail_search_context *ctx,
+							  struct mail **mail_r, bool *tryagain_r) {
+	struct acl_mailbox *abox = ACL_CONTEXT(ctx->transaction->box);
+
+	if (acl_mailbox_right_lookup(ctx->transaction->box, ACL_STORAGE_RIGHT_FAKE_EMPTY) > 0) {
+		return FALSE;
+	}
+	return abox->module_ctx.super.search_next_nonblock(ctx, mail_r, tryagain_r);
+}
+
 static int
 acl_save_get_flags(struct mailbox *box, enum mail_flags *flags,
 		   enum mail_flags *pvt_flags, struct mail_keywords **keywords)
@@ -484,6 +494,7 @@ static int acl_mailbox_exists(struct mailbox *box, bool auto_boxes,
 	for (i = 0; rights[i] != NULL; i++) {
 		if (strcmp(rights[i], MAIL_ACL_LOOKUP) == 0 ||
 		    strcmp(rights[i], MAIL_ACL_READ) == 0 ||
+		    strcmp(rights[i], MAIL_ACL_FAKE_EMPTY) == 0 ||
 		    strcmp(rights[i], MAIL_ACL_INSERT) == 0)
 			return abox->module_ctx.super.exists(box, auto_boxes,
 							     existence_r);
@@ -516,6 +527,9 @@ static int acl_mailbox_open_check_acl(struct mailbox *box)
 	}
 
 	ret = acl_object_have_right(abox->aclobj, idx_arr[open_right]);
+	if (ret == 0 && open_right == ACL_STORAGE_RIGHT_READ) {
+		ret = acl_object_have_right(abox->aclobj, idx_arr[ACL_STORAGE_RIGHT_FAKE_EMPTY]);
+	}
 	if (ret <= 0) {
 		if (ret == 0) {
 			/* no access. */
@@ -612,6 +626,7 @@ void acl_mailbox_allocated(struct mailbox *box)
 		v->attribute_iter_init = acl_attribute_iter_init;
 		v->attribute_iter_next = acl_attribute_iter_next;
 		v->attribute_iter_deinit = acl_attribute_iter_deinit;
+		v->search_next_nonblock = acl_search_next_nonblock;
 	}
 	MODULE_CONTEXT_SET(box, acl_storage_module, abox);
 }
diff --git a/src/plugins/acl/acl-storage.h b/src/plugins/acl/acl-storage.h
index e04d08e1166..39e3fa74034 100644
--- a/src/plugins/acl/acl-storage.h
+++ b/src/plugins/acl/acl-storage.h
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ struct acl_rights_update;
 enum acl_storage_rights {
 	ACL_STORAGE_RIGHT_LOOKUP,
 	ACL_STORAGE_RIGHT_READ,
+	ACL_STORAGE_RIGHT_FAKE_EMPTY,
 	ACL_STORAGE_RIGHT_WRITE,
 	ACL_STORAGE_RIGHT_WRITE_SEEN,
 	ACL_STORAGE_RIGHT_WRITE_DELETED,