diff --git a/src/client/application/secret-mediator.vala b/src/client/application/secret-mediator.vala
index 2d541b96..ca380753 100644
--- a/src/client/application/secret-mediator.vala
+++ b/src/client/application/secret-mediator.vala
@@ -67,10 +67,6 @@ public class SecretMediator : Geary.CredentialsMediator, Object {
             }
         }
 
-        if (!loaded) {
-            loaded = yield prompt_token(account, service, cancellable);
-        }
-
         return loaded;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/engine/api/geary-account-information.vala b/src/engine/api/geary-account-information.vala
index 2d0a8ff1..89b83363 100644
--- a/src/engine/api/geary-account-information.vala
+++ b/src/engine/api/geary-account-information.vala
@@ -468,35 +468,45 @@ public class Geary.AccountInformation : BaseObject {
     /**
      * Loads this account's outgoing service credentials, if needed.
      *
-     * Credentials are loaded from the mediator, which may cause the
-     * user to be prompted for the secret, thus it may yield for some
-     * time.
+     * Credentials are loaded from the mediator, thus it may yield for
+     * some time.
      *
-     * Returns true if the credentials were successfully loaded or had
-     * been previously loaded, or false the credentials could not be
-     * loaded and the service's credentials are invalid.
+     * Returns true if the credentials were successfully loaded, or
+     * false if the credentials could not be loaded and the service's
+     * credentials are invalid.
      */
-    public async void load_outgoing_credentials(GLib.Cancellable? cancellable)
+    public async bool load_outgoing_credentials(GLib.Cancellable? cancellable)
         throws GLib.Error {
         Credentials? creds = this.outgoing.credentials;
+        bool loaded = false;
         if (creds != null) {
-            yield this.mediator.load_token(this, this.outgoing, cancellable);
+            loaded = yield this.mediator.load_token(
+                this, this.outgoing, cancellable
+            );
         }
+        return loaded;
     }
 
     /**
      * Loads this account's incoming service credentials, if needed.
      *
-     * Credentials are loaded from the mediator, which may cause the
-     * user to be prompted for the secret, thus it may yield for some
-     * time.
+     * Credentials are loaded from the mediator, thus it may yield for
+     * some time.
+     *
+     * Returns true if the credentials were successfully loaded, or
+     * false if the credentials could not be loaded and the service's
+     * credentials are invalid.
      */
-    public async void load_incoming_credentials(GLib.Cancellable? cancellable)
+    public async bool load_incoming_credentials(GLib.Cancellable? cancellable)
         throws GLib.Error {
         Credentials? creds = this.incoming.credentials;
+        bool loaded = false;
         if (creds != null) {
-            yield this.mediator.load_token(this, this.incoming, cancellable);
+            loaded = yield this.mediator.load_token(
+                this, this.incoming, cancellable
+            );
         }
+        return loaded;
     }
 
     public bool equal_to(AccountInformation other) {
diff --git a/src/engine/imap/api/imap-client-service.vala b/src/engine/imap/api/imap-client-service.vala
index 3b36043c..24a1d0d2 100644
--- a/src/engine/imap/api/imap-client-service.vala
+++ b/src/engine/imap/api/imap-client-service.vala
@@ -270,9 +270,13 @@ internal class Geary.Imap.ClientService : Geary.ClientService {
             // are up-to-date before attempting a connection, but
             // after we know we should be able to connect to it
             try {
-                yield this.account.load_incoming_credentials(
+                bool loaded = yield this.account.load_incoming_credentials(
                     this.pool_cancellable
                 );
+                if (!loaded) {
+                    notify_authentication_failed();
+                    return;
+                }
             } catch (GLib.Error err) {
                 notify_connection_failed(new ErrorContext(err));
                 return;
diff --git a/src/engine/smtp/smtp-client-service.vala b/src/engine/smtp/smtp-client-service.vala
index bd22190a..59c41ba0 100644
--- a/src/engine/smtp/smtp-client-service.vala
+++ b/src/engine/smtp/smtp-client-service.vala
@@ -190,7 +190,9 @@ internal class Geary.Smtp.ClientService : Geary.ClientService {
         throws GLib.Error {
         // To prevent spurious connection failures, ensure tokens are
         // up-to-date before attempting to send the email
-        yield this.account.load_outgoing_credentials(cancellable);
+        if (!yield this.account.load_outgoing_credentials(cancellable)) {
+            throw new SmtpError.AUTHENTICATION_FAILED("Credentials not loaded");
+        }
 
         Email? email = null;
         try {