diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.0)
-set(PIM_VERSION "5.8.80")
+set(PIM_VERSION "5.8.81")
 
 if (POLICY CMP0053)
     cmake_policy(SET CMP0053 NEW)
diff --git a/messagelist/src/pane.h b/messagelist/src/pane.h
--- a/messagelist/src/pane.h
+++ b/messagelist/src/pane.h
@@ -335,6 +335,8 @@
     * If the specified folder is not open yet then behaviour
     * depends on the preferEmptyTab value as follows.
     *
+    * @param etmIndex the index for the collection in the EntityTreeModel (source model)
+    *
     * If preferEmptyTab is set to false then the (new) folder is loaded
     * in the current tab. If preferEmptyTab is set to true then the (new) folder is
     * loaded in the first empty tab (or a new one if there are no empty ones).
@@ -347,7 +349,9 @@
     * like "loading..."
     */
     void setCurrentFolder(
-        const Akonadi::Collection &fld, bool preferEmptyTab = false, MessageList::Core::PreSelectionMode preSelectionMode = MessageList::Core::PreSelectLastSelected,
+        const Akonadi::Collection &fld,
+        const QModelIndex &etmIndex,
+        bool preferEmptyTab = false, MessageList::Core::PreSelectionMode preSelectionMode = MessageList::Core::PreSelectLastSelected,
         const QString &overrideLabel = QString());
 
     void resetModelStorage();
@@ -434,8 +438,6 @@
     void restoreHeaderSettings(int index);
     void readConfig(bool restoreSession);
 
-    Q_PRIVATE_SLOT(d, void onSelectionChanged(const QItemSelection &, const QItemSelection &))
-
     bool eventFilter(QObject *obj, QEvent *event) override;
 
     class Private;
diff --git a/messagelist/src/pane.cpp b/messagelist/src/pane.cpp
--- a/messagelist/src/pane.cpp
+++ b/messagelist/src/pane.cpp
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@
     {
     }
 
-    void onSelectionChanged(const QItemSelection &selected, const QItemSelection &deselected);
+    void setCurrentFolder(const QModelIndex &etmIndex);
     void onNewTabClicked();
     void onCloseTabClicked();
     void activateTab();
@@ -84,7 +84,6 @@
     void changeQuicksearchVisibility(bool);
     void addActivateTabAction(int i);
     void slotTabCloseRequested(int index);
-    QItemSelection mapSelectionToSource(const QItemSelection &selection) const;
     QItemSelection mapSelectionFromSource(const QItemSelection &selection) const;
     void updateTabControls();
 
@@ -169,8 +168,6 @@
     readConfig(restoreSession);
     setMovable(true);
 
-    connect(d->mSelectionModel, SIGNAL(selectionChanged(QItemSelection,QItemSelection)),
-            this, SLOT(onSelectionChanged(QItemSelection,QItemSelection)));
     connect(this, &Pane::currentChanged,
             this, [this]() { d->onCurrentTabChanged(); });
 
@@ -453,7 +450,7 @@
     }
 }
 
-void Pane::Private::onSelectionChanged(const QItemSelection &selected, const QItemSelection &deselected)
+void Pane::Private::setCurrentFolder(const QModelIndex &etmIndex)
 {
     if (mPreferEmptyTab) {
         q->createNewTab();
@@ -465,11 +462,12 @@
     w->saveCurrentSelection();
 
     // Deselect old before we select new - so that the messagelist can clear first.
-    s->select(mapSelectionToSource(deselected), QItemSelectionModel::Deselect);
+    s->clear();
     if (s->selection().isEmpty()) {
         w->view()->model()->setPreSelectionMode(mPreSelectionMode);
     }
-    s->select(mapSelectionToSource(selected), QItemSelectionModel::Select);
+    Q_ASSERT(s->model() == etmIndex.model());
+    s->select(etmIndex, QItemSelectionModel::Select);
 
     QString label;
     QIcon icon;
@@ -499,15 +497,10 @@
     q->setTabIcon(index, icon);
     q->setTabToolTip(index, toolTip);
     if (mPreferEmptyTab) {
-        disconnect(mSelectionModel, SIGNAL(selectionChanged(QItemSelection,QItemSelection)),
-                   q, SLOT(onSelectionChanged(QItemSelection,QItemSelection)));
-
         mSelectionModel->select(mapSelectionFromSource(s->selection()),
                                 QItemSelectionModel::ClearAndSelect);
-
-        connect(mSelectionModel, SIGNAL(selectionChanged(QItemSelection,QItemSelection)),
-                q, SLOT(onSelectionChanged(QItemSelection,QItemSelection)));
     }
+    mPreferEmptyTab = false;
 }
 
 void Pane::Private::activateTab()
@@ -645,14 +638,8 @@
 
     QItemSelectionModel *s = mWidgetSelectionHash[w];
 
-    disconnect(mSelectionModel, SIGNAL(selectionChanged(QItemSelection,QItemSelection)),
-               q, SLOT(onSelectionChanged(QItemSelection,QItemSelection)));
-
     mSelectionModel->select(mapSelectionFromSource(s->selection()),
                             QItemSelectionModel::ClearAndSelect);
-
-    connect(mSelectionModel, SIGNAL(selectionChanged(QItemSelection,QItemSelection)),
-            q, SLOT(onSelectionChanged(QItemSelection,QItemSelection)));
 }
 
 void Pane::Private::onTabContextMenuRequest(const QPoint &pos)
@@ -722,8 +709,9 @@
     return {};
 }
 
-void Pane::setCurrentFolder(const Akonadi::Collection &collection, bool, Core::PreSelectionMode preSelectionMode, const QString &overrideLabel)
+void Pane::setCurrentFolder(const Akonadi::Collection &collection, const QModelIndex &etmIndex, bool, Core::PreSelectionMode preSelectionMode, const QString &overrideLabel)
 {
+    d->setCurrentFolder(etmIndex);
     d->mPreSelectionMode = preSelectionMode;
     Widget *w = static_cast<Widget *>(currentWidget());
     if (w) {
@@ -790,17 +778,6 @@
     return s;
 }
 
-QItemSelection Pane::Private::mapSelectionToSource(const QItemSelection &selection) const
-{
-    QItemSelection result = selection;
-
-    for (const QAbstractProxyModel *proxy : qAsConst(mProxyStack)) {
-        result = proxy->mapSelectionToSource(result);
-    }
-
-    return result;
-}
-
 QItemSelection Pane::Private::mapSelectionFromSource(const QItemSelection &selection) const
 {
     QItemSelection result = selection;