diff --git a/packages/core/api/sync/index.js b/packages/core/api/sync/index.js
index a7ddbcdfa..b1cbe4a2a 100644
--- a/packages/core/api/sync/index.js
+++ b/packages/core/api/sync/index.js
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ export default class SyncManager {
    */
   constructor(db) {
     this.sync = new Sync(db);
+    this._db = db;
   }
 
   async start(full, force) {
@@ -76,6 +77,19 @@ export default class SyncManager {
       var isHubException = e.message.includes("HubException:");
       if (isHubException) {
         var actualError = /HubException: (.*)/gm.exec(e.message);
+
+        // NOTE: sometimes there's the case where the user has already
+        // confirmed their email but the server still thinks that it
+        // isn't confirmed. This check is added to trigger a force
+        // update of the access token.
+        if (
+          actualError.includes("Please confirm your email ") &&
+          (await this._db.user.getUser()).isEmailConfirmed
+        ) {
+          await this._db.user.tokenManager._refreshToken(true);
+          return false;
+        }
+
         if (actualError.length > 1) throw new Error(actualError[1]);
       }
       throw e;