diff --git a/lisp/gnus/gnus-int.el b/lisp/gnus/gnus-int.el
index 01053797b3..3fe69ec471 100644
--- a/lisp/gnus/gnus-int.el
+++ b/lisp/gnus/gnus-int.el
@@ -522,12 +522,18 @@ gnus-close-group
 (defun gnus-retrieve-headers (articles group &optional fetch-old)
   "Request headers for ARTICLES in GROUP.
 If FETCH-OLD, retrieve all headers (or some subset thereof) in the group."
-  (let ((gnus-command-method (gnus-find-method-for-group group)))
+  (let* ((gnus-command-method (gnus-find-method-for-group group))
+         (gnus-method-nov-is-evil (intern
+		                   (format "%s-nov-is-evil"
+                                           (car gnus-command-method)))))
     (cond
      ((and gnus-use-cache (numberp (car articles)))
       (gnus-cache-retrieve-headers articles group fetch-old))
      ((and gnus-agent (gnus-online gnus-command-method)
-	   (gnus-agent-method-p gnus-command-method))
+	   (gnus-agent-method-p gnus-command-method)
+	   (not gnus-nov-is-evil)
+	   (not (and (boundp gnus-method-nov-is-evil)
+                     (symbol-value gnus-method-nov-is-evil))))
       (gnus-agent-retrieve-headers articles group fetch-old))
      (t
       (funcall (gnus-get-function gnus-command-method 'retrieve-headers)