diff --git a/mu4e/mu4e-folders.el b/mu4e/mu4e-folders.el
index d3d9dcf6..cec99ae1 100644
--- a/mu4e/mu4e-folders.el
+++ b/mu4e/mu4e-folders.el
@@ -248,37 +248,36 @@ to create it; otherwise return nil."
   "Get maildirs under `mu4e-maildir'."
   mu4e-maildir-list)
 
-
 (defun mu4e-ask-maildir (prompt &optional query-item)
   "Ask the user for a maildir (using PROMPT).
 
 If QUERY-ITEM is non-nil, return the full query-item rather than
 just the query-string.
 
-If the special shortcut \"o\" (for _o_ther) is used, or
-if (mu4e-maildir-shortcuts) evaluates to nil, let user choose
-from all maildirs under `mu4e-maildir'.
+If the special shortcut \"o\" (for _o_ther) is used, or if there
+a no single-key elements in (mu4e-maildir-shortcuts), let user
+choose from all maildirs under `mu4e-maildir'.
 
 The names of the maildirs are displayed in the minibuffer,
 suffixed with the short version of the unread counts, as per
 `mu4e--query-item-display-short-counts'."
   (let* ((mdirs
-          (append
-           (seq-map
-            (lambda (md)
-              (let* ((qitem (mu4e--query-item-for-maildir-shortcut md))
-                     (unreads (mu4e--query-item-display-short-counts qitem)))
-                (cons
-                 (format "%c%s%s"
-                         (plist-get md :key)
-                         (or (plist-get md :name)
-                             (plist-get md :maildir))
-                         unreads) md)))
-            (mu4e-filter-single-key (mu4e-maildir-shortcuts)))
-           '(("oOther..." . other)))) ;; append "Other" pseudo-maildir
-         (chosen (mu4e-read-option prompt mdirs))
+          (seq-map
+           (lambda (md)
+             (let* ((qitem (mu4e--query-item-for-maildir-shortcut md))
+                    (unreads (mu4e--query-item-display-short-counts qitem)))
+               (cons
+                (format "%c%s%s"
+                        (plist-get md :key)
+                        (or (plist-get md :name)
+                            (plist-get md :maildir))
+                        unreads) md)))
+           (mu4e-filter-single-key (mu4e-maildir-shortcuts))))
          ;; special case: handle pseudo-maildir 'other
-         (chosen (if (eq chosen 'other)
+         (mdirs (and mdirs (append mdirs '(("oOther..." . other)))))
+         (chosen (and mdirs (mu4e-read-option prompt mdirs)))
+         ;; if chosen nothing or other, ask for more.
+         (chosen (if (or (not chosen) (eq chosen 'other))
                      (list :maildir
                            (substring-no-properties
                             (funcall mu4e-completing-read-function prompt
@@ -287,9 +286,7 @@ suffixed with the short version of the unread counts, as per
                    chosen)))
     ;; return either the maildir (as a string), or the corresponding
     ;; query-item.
-    (if query-item
-        chosen
-      (plist-get chosen :maildir))))
+    (if query-item chosen (plist-get chosen :maildir))))
 
 (defun mu4e-ask-maildir-check-exists (prompt)
   "Like `mu4e-ask-maildir', PROMPT for existence of the maildir.