diff --git a/iOS/AppDefaults.swift b/iOS/AppDefaults.swift
index 8fdad87e4..db4f458cf 100644
--- a/iOS/AppDefaults.swift
+++ b/iOS/AppDefaults.swift
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ struct AppDefaults {
 		static let firstRunDate = "firstRunDate"
 		static let timelineSortDirection = "timelineSortDirection"
 		static let refreshInterval = "refreshInterval"
+		static let lastRefresh = "lastRefresh"
 	}
 
 	static let isFirstRun: Bool = {
@@ -43,6 +44,15 @@ struct AppDefaults {
 		}
 	}
 
+	static var lastRefresh: Date? {
+		get {
+			return date(for: Key.lastRefresh)
+		}
+		set {
+			setDate(for: Key.lastRefresh, newValue)
+		}
+	}
+	
 	static func registerDefaults() {
 		let defaults: [String : Any] = [Key.timelineSortDirection: ComparisonResult.orderedDescending.rawValue, Key.refreshInterval: RefreshInterval.everyHour.rawValue]
 		UserDefaults.standard.register(defaults: defaults)
diff --git a/iOS/AppDelegate.swift b/iOS/AppDelegate.swift
index b93a78b8e..1a1bf4e87 100644
--- a/iOS/AppDelegate.swift
+++ b/iOS/AppDelegate.swift
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ class AppDelegate: UIResponder, UIApplicationDelegate, UISplitViewControllerDele
 		appDelegate = self
 		
 		NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(self, selector: #selector(unreadCountDidChange(_:)), name: .UnreadCountDidChange, object: nil)
+		NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(self, selector: #selector(accountRefreshDidFinish(_:)), name: .AccountRefreshDidFinish, object: nil)
 		NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(self, selector: #selector(userDefaultsDidChange(_:)), name: UserDefaults.didChangeNotification, object: nil)
 		
 		// Reinitialize the shared state as early as possible
@@ -131,7 +132,16 @@ class AppDelegate: UIResponder, UIApplicationDelegate, UISplitViewControllerDele
 	}
 
 	func applicationDidBecomeActive(_ application: UIApplication) {
-		// Restart any tasks that were paused (or not yet started) while the application was inactive. If the application was previously in the background, optionally refresh the user interface.
+		
+		// If we haven't refreshed the database for 15 minutes, run a refresh automatically
+		if let lastRefresh = AppDefaults.lastRefresh {
+			if Date() > lastRefresh.addingTimeInterval(15 * 60) {
+				AccountManager.shared.refreshAll()
+			}
+		} else {
+			AccountManager.shared.refreshAll()
+		}
+
 	}
 
 	func applicationWillTerminate(_ application: UIApplication) {
@@ -204,6 +214,10 @@ class AppDelegate: UIResponder, UIApplicationDelegate, UISplitViewControllerDele
 		UIApplication.shared.setMinimumBackgroundFetchInterval(AppDefaults.refreshInterval.inSeconds())
 	}
 
+	@objc func accountRefreshDidFinish(_ note: Notification) {
+		AppDefaults.lastRefresh = Date()
+	}
+	
 	// MARK: - API
 	
 	func logMessage(_ message: String, type: LogItem.ItemType) {