diff --git a/NEWS.org b/NEWS.org
index 7d6060ff..d663f630 100644
--- a/NEWS.org
+++ b/NEWS.org
@@ -64,8 +64,9 @@
     - also, there are now actions ('a' in view/header) to get to online archives
       for some (selected) mailing-list archives.
 
-    - In the main-view, by default ~q~ is now bound to ~mu4e-main-quit-or-bury~,
-      which calls either ~mu4e-quit~ or, with prefix argument, ~bury-buffer~.
+    - ~mu4e-quit~ now takes a prefix argument which, if provided, causes it to
+      bury he mu main buffer, rather than quitting mu. ~mu4e~ will now just switch
+      the mu4e buffer if it exists (otherwise it starts ~mu4e~).
 
     - ~mu4e~ benefits from the mentioned speed-ups in querying, and adds some of
       its own - e.g., for showing 500 messages (debug build), we went from 642ms
diff --git a/mu4e/mu4e-main.el b/mu4e/mu4e-main.el
index ab1f1d86..3bc06524 100644
--- a/mu4e/mu4e-main.el
+++ b/mu4e/mu4e-main.el
@@ -110,17 +110,10 @@ the personal addresses."
           (current-time-string baseline-t)
         "Never"))))
 
-(defun mu4e-main-quit-or-bury (&optional bury)
-  "Quit mu4e, or, with prefix-argument, bury the buffer."
-  (interactive "P")
-  (if bury
-      (bury-buffer)
-    (mu4e-quit)))
-
 (defvar mu4e-main-mode-map
   (let ((map (make-sparse-keymap)))
 
-    (define-key map "q" #'mu4e-main-quit-or-bury)
+    (define-key map "q" #'mu4e-quit)
     (define-key map "C" #'mu4e-compose-new)
 
     (define-key map "m" #'mu4e--main-toggle-mail-sending-mode)
@@ -335,7 +328,7 @@ Otherwise, do nothing."
          (mu4e--main-action "\t* [@]News\n" #'mu4e-news nil "N")
          (mu4e--main-action "\t* [@]About mu4e\n" #'mu4e-about nil "A")
          (mu4e--main-action "\t* [@]Help\n" #'mu4e-display-manual nil "H")
-         (mu4e--main-action "\t* [@]quit\n" #'mu4e-main-quit-or-bury nil "q")
+         (mu4e--main-action "\t* [@]quit\n" #'mu4e-quit nil "q")
          "\n"
          (propertize "  Info\n\n" 'face 'mu4e-title-face)
          (mu4e--key-val "last updated"
diff --git a/mu4e/mu4e.el b/mu4e/mu4e.el
index 8ea5692b..7e2c1ce5 100644
--- a/mu4e/mu4e.el
+++ b/mu4e/mu4e.el
@@ -61,18 +61,26 @@
 Then, show the main window, unless BACKGROUND (prefix-argument)
 is non-nil."
   (interactive "P")
-  ;; start mu4e, then show the main view
-  (mu4e--init-handlers)
-  (mu4e--start
-   (unless background #'mu4e--main-view)))
+  (if (and (not background) (buffer-live-p mu4e-main-buffer-name))
+      ;; already running.
+      (switch-to-buffer mu4e-main-buffer-name)
+    ;; start mu4e, then show the main view
+    (mu4e--init-handlers)
+    (mu4e--start
+     (unless background #'mu4e--main-view))))
 
-(defun mu4e-quit()
-  "Quit the mu4e session."
-  (interactive)
-  (if mu4e-confirm-quit
-      (when (y-or-n-p (mu4e-format "Are you sure you want to quit?"))
-        (mu4e--stop))
-    (mu4e--stop)))
+(defun mu4e-quit(&optional bury)
+  "Quit the mu4e session or bury the buffer.
+
+If prefix-argument BURY is non-nil, merely bury the buffer.
+Otherwise, completely quit mu4e, including automatic updating."
+  (interactive "P")
+  (if bury
+      (bury-buffer)
+    (if mu4e-confirm-quit
+        (when (y-or-n-p (mu4e-format "Are you sure you want to quit?"))
+          (mu4e--stop))
+      (mu4e--stop))))
 
 ;;; Internals
 
diff --git a/mu4e/mu4e.texi b/mu4e/mu4e.texi
index e654945c..0a5ae0b5 100644
--- a/mu4e/mu4e.texi
+++ b/mu4e/mu4e.texi
@@ -858,16 +858,17 @@ visible only if you have actually set up mail-queuing. @ref{Queuing
 mail}
 @item @t{[A]bout mu4e} provides general information about the program
 @item @t{[H]elp} shows help information for this view
-@item Finally, @t{[q]uit mu4e} quits your @t{mu4e}-session
+@item Finally, @t{[q]uit mu4e} quits your @t{mu4e}-session@footnote{@t{mu4e-quit}; or with a @t{C-u}
+prefix argument, it merely buries the buffer}
 @end itemize
 
 @node Headers view
 @chapter The headers view
 
-The headers view shows the results of a query. The header-line shows
-the names of the fields. Below that, there is a line with those
-fields, for each matching message, followed by a footer line. The
-major-mode for the headers view is @code{mu4e-headers-mode}.
+The headers view shows the results of a query. The header-line shows the names
+of the fields. Below that, there is a line with those fields, for each matching
+message, followed by a footer line. The major-mode for the headers view is
+@code{mu4e-headers-mode}.
 
 @menu
 * Overview: HV Overview. What is the Header View