diff --git a/src/com/fsck/k9/service/CoreService.java b/src/com/fsck/k9/service/CoreService.java
index 551b5d547..fd1d83c8b 100644
--- a/src/com/fsck/k9/service/CoreService.java
+++ b/src/com/fsck/k9/service/CoreService.java
@@ -20,8 +20,19 @@ public abstract class CoreService extends Service
     public static String WAKE_LOCK_ID = "com.fsck.k9.service.CoreService.wakeLockId";
     private static ConcurrentHashMap<Integer, WakeLock> wakeLocks = new ConcurrentHashMap<Integer, WakeLock>();
     private static AtomicInteger wakeLockSeq = new AtomicInteger(0);
-    private final ExecutorService threadPool = Executors.newFixedThreadPool(1);  // Must be single threaded
-
+    private ExecutorService threadPool = null;
+    private final String className = getClass().getName();
+    
+    @Override
+    public void onCreate()
+    {
+        if (K9.DEBUG)
+            Log.i(K9.LOG_TAG, "CoreService: " + className + ".onCreate()");
+        threadPool = Executors.newFixedThreadPool(1);  // Must be single threaded
+        super.onCreate();
+        
+    }
+    
     protected static void addWakeLockId(Intent i, Integer wakeLockId)
     {
         if (wakeLockId != null)
@@ -42,6 +53,8 @@ public abstract class CoreService extends Service
 
         i.putExtra(WAKE_LOCK_ID, tmpWakeLockId);
     }
+    
+    
 
     @Override
     public void onStart(Intent intent, int startId)
@@ -53,7 +66,7 @@ public abstract class CoreService extends Service
         wakeLock.acquire(K9.MAIL_SERVICE_WAKE_LOCK_TIMEOUT);
 
         if (K9.DEBUG)
-            Log.i(K9.LOG_TAG, "CoreService: " + this.getClass().getName() + ".onStart(" + intent + ", " + startId);
+            Log.i(K9.LOG_TAG, "CoreService: " + className + ".onStart(" + intent + ", " + startId);
 
         int wakeLockId = intent.getIntExtra(BootReceiver.WAKE_LOCK_ID, -1);
         if (wakeLockId != -1)
@@ -91,12 +104,12 @@ public abstract class CoreService extends Service
 
     public void execute(Context context, final Runnable runner, int wakeLockTime, final Integer startId)
     {
+        
         PowerManager pm = (PowerManager) context.getSystemService(Context.POWER_SERVICE);
         final WakeLock wakeLock = pm.newWakeLock(PowerManager.PARTIAL_WAKE_LOCK, "K9");
         wakeLock.setReferenceCounted(false);
         wakeLock.acquire(wakeLockTime);
-        if (K9.DEBUG)
-            Log.d(K9.LOG_TAG, "CoreService (" + getClass().getName() + ") queueing Runnable " + runner.hashCode() + " with startId " + startId);
+        
         Runnable myRunner = new Runnable()
         {
             public void run()
@@ -105,13 +118,13 @@ public abstract class CoreService extends Service
                 {
 
                     if (K9.DEBUG)
-                        Log.d(K9.LOG_TAG, "CoreService (" + getClass().getName() + ") running Runnable " + runner.hashCode() + " with startId " + startId);
+                        Log.d(K9.LOG_TAG, "CoreService (" + className + ") running Runnable " + runner.hashCode() + " with startId " + startId);
                     runner.run();
                 }
                 finally
                 {
                     if (K9.DEBUG)
-                        Log.d(K9.LOG_TAG, "CoreService (" + getClass().getName() + ") completed Runnable " + runner.hashCode() + " with startId " + startId);
+                        Log.d(K9.LOG_TAG, "CoreService (" + className + ") completed Runnable " + runner.hashCode() + " with startId " + startId);
                     wakeLock.release();
                     if (startId != null)
                     {
@@ -121,8 +134,20 @@ public abstract class CoreService extends Service
             }
 
         };
-
-        threadPool.execute(myRunner);
+        if (threadPool == null)
+        {
+            Log.e(K9.LOG_TAG, "CoreService.execute (" + className + ") called with no threadPool available; running Runnable " + runner.hashCode() + " in calling thread", new Throwable());
+            synchronized(this)
+            {
+                myRunner.run();
+            }
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            if (K9.DEBUG)
+                Log.d(K9.LOG_TAG, "CoreService (" + className + ") queueing Runnable " + runner.hashCode() + " with startId " + startId);
+            threadPool.execute(myRunner);
+        }
     }
 
     public abstract void startService(Intent intent, int startId);
@@ -138,7 +163,8 @@ public abstract class CoreService extends Service
     public void onDestroy()
     {
         if (K9.DEBUG)
-            Log.i(K9.LOG_TAG, "CoreService: " + this.getClass().getName() + ".onDestroy()");
+            Log.i(K9.LOG_TAG, "CoreService: " + className + ".onDestroy()");
+        threadPool.shutdown();
         super.onDestroy();
         //     MessagingController.getInstance(getApplication()).removeListener(mListener);
     }