diff --git a/lib/message-handler.js b/lib/message-handler.js
index ea5c6309..b3263573 100644
--- a/lib/message-handler.js
+++ b/lib/message-handler.js
@@ -959,6 +959,28 @@ class MessageHandler {
 
         let newModseq = (item && item.value && item.value.modifyIndex) || 1;
 
+        let sourceUid = [];
+        let destinationUid = [];
+
+        let removeEntries = [];
+        let existsEntries = [];
+
+        let encryptedMoveUserData;
+        if (targetData.encryptMessages) {
+            try {
+                encryptedMoveUserData = await this.users.collection('users').findOne(
+                    { _id: mailboxData.user },
+                    {
+                        projection: {
+                            pubKey: true
+                        }
+                    }
+                );
+            } catch (err) {
+                return this.moveDone(err, { targetData, sourceUid, destinationUid, mailboxData, existsEntries, removeEntries }, options);
+            }
+        }
+
         let cursor = this.database
             .collection('messages')
             .find({
@@ -968,12 +990,6 @@ class MessageHandler {
             // ordering is needed for IMAP UIDPLUS results
             .sort({ uid: 1 });
 
-        let sourceUid = [];
-        let destinationUid = [];
-
-        let removeEntries = [];
-        let existsEntries = [];
-
         let message = {};
         // Loop through all moved messages
         while (message !== undefined) {
@@ -1168,16 +1184,8 @@ class MessageHandler {
                     continue;
                 } else {
                     // not yet encrypted, so need to encrypt
-                    let res;
-
-                    try {
-                        res = await this.users.collection('users').findOne({ _id: mailboxData.user });
-                    } catch (err) {
-                        return this.moveDone(err, { targetData, sourceUid, destinationUid, mailboxData, existsEntries, removeEntries }, options);
-                    }
-
                     // get user data
-                    if (!res.pubKey) {
+                    if (!encryptedMoveUserData?.pubKey) {
                         // no public key available, cannot encrypt
                         await this.updateMessage(
                             {
@@ -1233,7 +1241,7 @@ class MessageHandler {
                                 let encryptRes;
 
                                 try {
-                                    encryptRes = await this.encryptMessageAsync(res.pubKey, raw);
+                                    encryptRes = await this.encryptMessageAsync(encryptedMoveUserData.pubKey, raw);
                                 } catch (err) {
                                     return reject(
                                         this.moveDone(err, { targetData, sourceUid, destinationUid, mailboxData, existsEntries, removeEntries }, options)