diff --git a/bramble-api/src/main/java/org/briarproject/bramble/api/mailbox/MailboxManager.java b/bramble-api/src/main/java/org/briarproject/bramble/api/mailbox/MailboxManager.java
index 1e1edfe92..4276ccbdb 100644
--- a/bramble-api/src/main/java/org/briarproject/bramble/api/mailbox/MailboxManager.java
+++ b/bramble-api/src/main/java/org/briarproject/bramble/api/mailbox/MailboxManager.java
@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
 package org.briarproject.bramble.api.mailbox;
 
-import org.briarproject.bramble.api.Consumer;
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.db.DbException;
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.db.Transaction;
-import org.briarproject.bramble.api.lifecycle.IoExecutor;
 
 import javax.annotation.Nullable;
 
@@ -36,13 +34,11 @@ public interface MailboxManager {
 
 	/**
 	 * Can be used by the UI to test the mailbox connection.
-	 * After the connection has been made, the given {@param connectionCallback}
-	 * will be called with true (success) or false (error).
-	 * In addition, a {@link OwnMailboxConnectionStatusEvent} might be broadcast
-	 * with a new {@link MailboxStatus}.
-	 * <p>
-	 * Note that the callback will be made on the {@link IoExecutor}.
+	 *
+	 * @return true (success) or false (error).
+	 * A {@link OwnMailboxConnectionStatusEvent} might be broadcast with a new
+	 * {@link MailboxStatus}.
 	 */
-	void checkConnection(Consumer<Boolean> connectionCallback);
+	boolean checkConnection();
 
 }
diff --git a/bramble-core/src/main/java/org/briarproject/bramble/mailbox/MailboxManagerImpl.java b/bramble-core/src/main/java/org/briarproject/bramble/mailbox/MailboxManagerImpl.java
index 6db11986b..39b4d7fa0 100644
--- a/bramble-core/src/main/java/org/briarproject/bramble/mailbox/MailboxManagerImpl.java
+++ b/bramble-core/src/main/java/org/briarproject/bramble/mailbox/MailboxManagerImpl.java
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 package org.briarproject.bramble.mailbox;
 
-import org.briarproject.bramble.api.Consumer;
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.db.DbException;
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.db.Transaction;
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.db.TransactionManager;
@@ -98,19 +97,17 @@ class MailboxManagerImpl implements MailboxManager {
 	}
 
 	@Override
-	public void checkConnection(Consumer<Boolean> connectionCallback) {
-		ioExecutor.execute(() -> {
-			boolean success;
-			try {
-				MailboxProperties props = db.transactionWithNullableResult(true,
-						mailboxSettingsManager::getOwnMailboxProperties);
-				success = api.checkStatus(props);
-			} catch (DbException | IOException | MailboxApi.ApiException e) {
-				success = false;
-				logException(LOG, WARNING, e);
-			}
-			connectionCallback.accept(success);
-			if (!success) return;
+	public boolean checkConnection() {
+		boolean success;
+		try {
+			MailboxProperties props = db.transactionWithNullableResult(true,
+					mailboxSettingsManager::getOwnMailboxProperties);
+			success = api.checkStatus(props);
+		} catch (DbException | IOException | MailboxApi.ApiException e) {
+			success = false;
+			logException(LOG, WARNING, e);
+		}
+		if (success) {
 			try {
 				// we are only recording successful connections here
 				// as those update the UI and failures might be false negatives
@@ -120,7 +117,8 @@ class MailboxManagerImpl implements MailboxManager {
 			} catch (DbException e) {
 				logException(LOG, WARNING, e);
 			}
-		});
+		}
+		return success;
 	}
 
 }
diff --git a/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/mailbox/MailboxViewModel.java b/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/mailbox/MailboxViewModel.java
index 28efd6415..96f5f66a4 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/mailbox/MailboxViewModel.java
+++ b/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/mailbox/MailboxViewModel.java
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ class MailboxViewModel extends DbViewModel
 			getLogger(MailboxViewModel.class.getName());
 
 	private final EventBus eventBus;
+	private final Executor ioExecutor;
 	private final QrCodeDecoder qrCodeDecoder;
 	private final PluginManager pluginManager;
 	private final MailboxManager mailboxManager;
@@ -76,6 +77,7 @@ class MailboxViewModel extends DbViewModel
 			MailboxManager mailboxManager) {
 		super(app, dbExecutor, lifecycleManager, db, androidExecutor);
 		this.eventBus = eventBus;
+		this.ioExecutor = ioExecutor;
 		this.pluginManager = pluginManager;
 		this.mailboxManager = mailboxManager;
 		qrCodeDecoder = new QrCodeDecoder(androidExecutor, ioExecutor, this);
@@ -183,20 +185,16 @@ class MailboxViewModel extends DbViewModel
 
 	LiveData<Boolean> checkConnection() {
 		MutableLiveData<Boolean> liveData = new MutableLiveData<>();
-		mailboxManager.checkConnection(result ->
-				onConnectionCheckFinished(liveData, result));
+		ioExecutor.execute(() -> {
+			boolean success = mailboxManager.checkConnection();
+			if (LOG.isLoggable(INFO)) {
+				LOG.info("Got result from connection check: " + success);
+			}
+			liveData.postValue(success);
+		});
 		return liveData;
 	}
 
-	@IoExecutor
-	private void onConnectionCheckFinished(MutableLiveData<Boolean> liveData,
-			boolean success) {
-		if (LOG.isLoggable(INFO)) {
-			LOG.info("Got result from connection check: " + success);
-		}
-		liveData.postValue(success);
-	}
-
 	@UiThread
 	LiveEvent<MailboxState> getPairingState() {
 		return pairingState;