diff --git a/modules/email/mu4e/autoload/mu-lock.el b/modules/email/mu4e/autoload/mu-lock.el
index 421952a49..c34329d6a 100644
--- a/modules/email/mu4e/autoload/mu-lock.el
+++ b/modules/email/mu4e/autoload/mu-lock.el
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ Else, write to this process' PID to the lock file"
       (user-error "Unfortunately another Emacs is already doing stuff with Mu4e, and you can only have one at a time")
     (write-region (number-to-string (emacs-pid)) nil +mu4e-lock-file)
     (delete-file +mu4e-lock-request-file)
+    (call-process "touch" nil nil nil +mu4e-lock-request-file)
     (funcall orig-fun callback)
     (setq +mu4e-lock--request-watcher
           (file-notify-add-watch +mu4e-lock-request-file