diff --git a/.emacs.d/init.el b/.emacs.d/init.el
index df78dd0..4786b94 100644
--- a/.emacs.d/init.el
+++ b/.emacs.d/init.el
@@ -305,33 +305,9 @@ value `italic'."
 (dashboard-setup-startup-hook)
 
 ;; mu4e
-(let
-    ((mu4e-path
-      (concat (getenv "HOME") "/.nix-profile/share/emacs/site-lisp/mu4e/")))
-  (unless (file-exists-p mu4e-path)
-    (throw 'mu4e-load-path "cannot locate mu4e load path"))
-  (add-to-list 'load-path mu4e-path))
-(require 'mu4e)
-(setq mu4e-maildir "~/mail"
-      mu4e-get-mail-command "mbsync -a"
-      mu4e-update-interval (* 5 60)        ; 5 minutes
-      mu4e-change-filenames-when-moving t  ; prevent mail syncing issues with mbsync
-      mu4e-refile-folder "/Archive"
-      mu4e-drafts-folder "/Drafts"
-      mu4e-sent-folder "/Sent"
-      mu4e-trash-folder "/Trash"
-      mu4e-maildir-shortcuts '(("/Inbox"   . ?i)
-                               ("/Archive" . ?a)
-                               ("/Drafts"  . ?d)))
-(global-set-key (kbd "C-c m") 'mu4e)
-
-;; smtp
-(setq message-send-mail-function 'smtpmail-send-it
-      user-mail-address "jeremy@baxters.nz"
-      user-full-name "Jeremy Baxter"
-      smtpmail-smtp-server "smtp.migadu.com"
-      smtpmail-smtp-service 465
-      smtpmail-stream-type 'ssl)
+(let ((mu4e-file "~/.emacs.d/mu4e.el"))
+  (when (file-exists-p mu4e-file)
+    (load mu4e-file)))
 
 ;; other packages
 (require 'esv)
diff --git a/.emacs.d/mu4e.el b/.emacs.d/mu4e.el
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3f70ebe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.emacs.d/mu4e.el
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+(let
+    ((mu4e-path
+      (concat (getenv "HOME") "/.nix-profile/share/emacs/site-lisp/mu4e/")))
+  (unless (file-exists-p mu4e-path)
+    (throw 'mu4e-load-path "cannot locate mu4e load path"))
+  (add-to-list 'load-path mu4e-path))
+(require 'mu4e)
+(setq mu4e-maildir "~/mail"
+      mu4e-get-mail-command "mbsync -a"
+      mu4e-update-interval (* 5 60)        ; 5 minutes
+      mu4e-change-filenames-when-moving t  ; prevent mail syncing issues with mbsync
+      mu4e-refile-folder "/Archive"
+      mu4e-drafts-folder "/Drafts"
+      mu4e-sent-folder "/Sent"
+      mu4e-trash-folder "/Trash"
+      mu4e-maildir-shortcuts '(("/Inbox"   . ?i)
+                               ("/Archive" . ?a)
+                               ("/Drafts"  . ?d)))
+(global-set-key (kbd "C-c m") 'mu4e)
+
+;; smtp
+(setq message-send-mail-function 'smtpmail-send-it
+      user-mail-address "jeremy@baxters.nz"
+      user-full-name "Jeremy Baxter"
+      smtpmail-smtp-server "smtp.migadu.com"
+      smtpmail-smtp-service 465
+      smtpmail-stream-type 'ssl)
+
+;;; mu4e.el ends here
diff --git a/sync.sh b/sync.sh
index a918d5d..7af4aae 100755
--- a/sync.sh
+++ b/sync.sh
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ cp "$HOME"/.profile .
 
 mkdir -p .emacs.d/
 cp "$HOME"/.emacs.d/init.el .emacs.d/init.el
+cp "$HOME"/.emacs.d/mu4e.el .emacs.d/mu4e.el
 mkdir -p .config/foot/
 cp "$HOME"/.config/foot/foot.ini .config/foot/foot.ini
 mkdir -p .config/fuzzel/