diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index a9e9248..8e6586b 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -74,6 +74,8 @@ __pycache__/
 .idea
 .spyproject
 *.code-workspace
+tags
+ws
 
 # platform artifacts
 .DS_store
diff --git a/src/pEp/_pEp/pEpmodule.cc b/src/pEp/_pEp/pEpmodule.cc
index 8fc2a7f..02b9458 100644
--- a/src/pEp/_pEp/pEpmodule.cc
+++ b/src/pEp/_pEp/pEpmodule.cc
@@ -186,6 +186,10 @@ namespace pEp {
             ::leave_device_group(Adapter::session());
         }
 
+        void disable_all_sync_channels() {
+            ::disable_all_sync_channels(Adapter::session());
+        }
+
         void testfunc() {
             _messageToSend(NULL);
         }
@@ -670,6 +674,12 @@ namespace pEp {
                 "call this for a grouped device, which should leave\n"
                 );
 
+                def("disable_all_sync_channels", &disable_all_sync_channels,
+                "disable_all_sync_channels()\n"
+                "\n"
+                "Disable sync for all identities\n"
+                );
+
                 // codecs
                 call< object >(((object)(import("codecs").attr("register"))).ptr(), make_function(sync_search));
                 call< object >(((object)(import("codecs").attr("register"))).ptr(), make_function(distribution_search));
diff --git a/test/data/keys/inquisitor-0xA4728718_full_expired.priv.asc b/test/data/keys/inquisitor-0xA4728718_full_expired.priv.asc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..acf173a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/data/keys/inquisitor-0xA4728718_full_expired.priv.asc
@@ -0,0 +1,129 @@
+-----BEGIN PGP PRIVATE KEY BLOCK-----
+
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+Zi5tJqJFwNBceGW3kZI=
+=jOL5
+-----END PGP PRIVATE KEY BLOCK-----
diff --git a/test/sync_handshake.py b/test/sync_handshake.py
index e92ffe5..c928c61 100755
--- a/test/sync_handshake.py
+++ b/test/sync_handshake.py
@@ -164,6 +164,16 @@ def run(name, color=None, imap=False, own_ident=1, leave=False):
         elif color == "cyan":
             pEp.debug_color(36)
 
+    if own_ident >= 2:
+        me2 = pEp.Identity("alice@pep.security", name + " of Alice Neuman", name)
+        pEp.myself(me2)
+
+    if own_ident == 3:
+        me3 = pEp.Identity("alice@pep.foundation", name + " of Alice Neuman", name)
+        pEp.myself(me3)    
+
+    pEp.disable_all_sync_channels()
+
     if imap:
         import miniimap
         import imap_settings
@@ -174,15 +184,6 @@ def run(name, color=None, imap=False, own_ident=1, leave=False):
     else:
         me = pEp.Identity("alice@peptest.ch", name + " of Alice Neuman", name)
         pEp.myself(me)
-
-        if own_ident >= 2:
-            me2 = pEp.Identity("alice@pep.security", name + " of Alice Neuman", name)
-            pEp.myself(me2)
-
-        if own_ident == 3:
-            me3 = pEp.Identity("alice@pep.foundation", name + " of Alice Neuman", name)
-            pEp.myself(me3)    
-
         pEp.message_to_send = messageToSend
 
     if multithreaded:
diff --git a/test/sync_test.py b/test/sync_test.py
index 405e67b..c55f0f3 100755
--- a/test/sync_test.py
+++ b/test/sync_test.py
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
 
             # Phone runs with own_ident = 2
             Phone = Process(target=test_for, args=("Phone", "red", end_on,
-                options.multithreaded, options.imap, 1))
+                options.multithreaded, options.imap, 2))
 
             # others run with own_ident = 1
             Laptop = Process(target=test_for, args=("Laptop", "green", end_on,