diff --git a/notmuch-new.c b/notmuch-new.c
index 598a2083..e79593cd 100644
--- a/notmuch-new.c
+++ b/notmuch-new.c
@@ -450,6 +450,12 @@ add_files_recursive (notmuch_database_t *notmuch,
 	    fflush (stdout);
 	}
 
+	status = notmuch_database_begin_atomic (notmuch);
+	if (status) {
+	    ret = status;
+	    goto DONE;
+	}
+
 	status = notmuch_database_add_message (notmuch, next, &message);
 	switch (status) {
 	/* success */
@@ -490,6 +496,12 @@ add_files_recursive (notmuch_database_t *notmuch,
 	    goto DONE;
 	}
 
+	status = notmuch_database_end_atomic (notmuch);
+	if (status) {
+	    ret = status;
+	    goto DONE;
+	}
+
 	if (message) {
 	    notmuch_message_destroy (message);
 	    message = NULL;
@@ -728,6 +740,9 @@ remove_filename (notmuch_database_t *notmuch,
 {
     notmuch_status_t status;
     notmuch_message_t *message;
+    status = notmuch_database_begin_atomic (notmuch);
+    if (status)
+	return status;
     message = notmuch_database_find_message_by_filename (notmuch, path);
     status = notmuch_database_remove_message (notmuch, path);
     if (status == NOTMUCH_STATUS_DUPLICATE_MESSAGE_ID) {
@@ -737,6 +752,7 @@ remove_filename (notmuch_database_t *notmuch,
     } else
 	add_files_state->removed_messages++;
     notmuch_message_destroy (message);
+    notmuch_database_end_atomic (notmuch);
     return status;
 }
 
diff --git a/test/atomicity b/test/atomicity
index 88b39587..eeff6be9 100755
--- a/test/atomicity
+++ b/test/atomicity
@@ -94,7 +94,6 @@ for ((i = 0; i < $outcount; i++)); do
 done
 
 test_begin_subtest '"notmuch new" is idempotent under arbitrary aborts'
-test_subtest_known_broken
 test_expect_equal_file GDB searchall expectall
 
 test_expect_success GDB "detected $outcount>10 abort points" "test $outcount -gt 10"