diff --git a/optional/fetchmail/Dockerfile b/optional/fetchmail/Dockerfile
index 995ec48f..068a5dce 100644
--- a/optional/fetchmail/Dockerfile
+++ b/optional/fetchmail/Dockerfile
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@ RUN apk add --no-cache \
 RUN apk add --no-cache fetchmail ca-certificates openssl \
  && pip3 install requests
 
+RUN mkdir -p /data
+
 COPY fetchmail.py /fetchmail.py
 
-USER fetchmail
-
-CMD ["/fetchmail.py"]
+CMD ["/fetchmail.py"]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/optional/fetchmail/fetchmail.py b/optional/fetchmail/fetchmail.py
index 4be3c2bd..5459de59 100755
--- a/optional/fetchmail/fetchmail.py
+++ b/optional/fetchmail/fetchmail.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import traceback
 
 FETCHMAIL = """
 fetchmail -N \
+    --idfile /data/fetchids --uidl \
     --sslcertck --sslcertpath /etc/ssl/certs \
     -f {}
 """
diff --git a/setup/flavors/compose/docker-compose.yml b/setup/flavors/compose/docker-compose.yml
index 2675a2ab..18a881b8 100644
--- a/setup/flavors/compose/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/setup/flavors/compose/docker-compose.yml
@@ -129,6 +129,8 @@ services:
     image: ${DOCKER_ORG:-mailu}/${DOCKER_PREFIX:-}fetchmail:${MAILU_VERSION:-{{ version }}}
     restart: always
     env_file: {{ env }}
+    volumes:
+      - "{{ root }}/data/fetchmail:/data"
     {% if resolver_enabled %}
     depends_on:
       - resolver
diff --git a/setup/flavors/stack/docker-compose.yml b/setup/flavors/stack/docker-compose.yml
index 24afa9f3..0c744d7e 100644
--- a/setup/flavors/stack/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/setup/flavors/stack/docker-compose.yml
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ services:
     image: ${DOCKER_ORG:-mailu}/${DOCKER_PREFIX:-}fetchmail:${MAILU_VERSION:-{{ version }}}
     env_file: {{ env }}
     volumes:
-      - "{{ root }}/data:/data"
+      - "{{ root }}/data/fetchmail:/data"
     deploy:
       replicas: 1
     healthcheck:
diff --git a/towncrier/newsfragments/1223.bugfix b/towncrier/newsfragments/1223.bugfix
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3c23d1a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/towncrier/newsfragments/1223.bugfix
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+Fixed fetchmail losing track of fetched emails upon container recreation. 
+The relevant fetchmail files are now retained in the /data folder (in the fetchmail image).
+See the docker-compose.yml file for the relevant volume mapping.
+If you already had your own mapping, you must double check the volume mapping and take action.