diff --git a/django_mailbox/models.py b/django_mailbox/models.py
index 6ca9884..017743b 100644
--- a/django_mailbox/models.py
+++ b/django_mailbox/models.py
@@ -408,17 +408,16 @@ class Mailbox(models.Model):
         new_mail = []
         connection = self.get_connection()
         if not connection:
-            return new_mail
+            return
         for message in connection.get_message(condition):
             msg = self.process_incoming_message(message)
             if not msg is None:
-                new_mail.append(msg)
+                yield msg
         self.last_polling = now()
         if django.VERSION >= (1, 5):  # Django 1.5 introduces update_fields
             self.save(update_fields=['last_polling'])
         else:
             self.save()
-        return new_mail
 
     def __str__(self):
         return self.name
diff --git a/django_mailbox/tests/base.py b/django_mailbox/tests/base.py
index 5553aa1..4884765 100644
--- a/django_mailbox/tests/base.py
+++ b/django_mailbox/tests/base.py
@@ -60,14 +60,24 @@ class EmailMessageTestCase(TestCase):
         super(EmailMessageTestCase, self).setUp()
 
     def _get_new_messages(self, mailbox, condition=None):
-        maximum_wait = time.time() + self.maximum_wait_seconds
-        while True:
-            if time.time() > maximum_wait:
-                raise EmailIntegrationTimeout()
+        start_time = time.time()
+        # wait until there is at least one message
+        while time.time() - start_time < self.maximum_wait_seconds:
+
             messages = self.mailbox.get_new_mail(condition)
-            if messages:
-                return messages
-            time.sleep(5)
+
+            try:
+                # check if generator contains at least one element
+                message = next(messages)
+                yield message
+                for message in messages:
+                    yield message
+                return
+
+            except StopIteration:
+                time.sleep(5)
+
+        raise EmailIntegrationTimeout()
 
     def _get_email_as_text(self, name):
         with open(
diff --git a/django_mailbox/tests/test_integration_imap.py b/django_mailbox/tests/test_integration_imap.py
index 96c3a6e..1110f69 100644
--- a/django_mailbox/tests/test_integration_imap.py
+++ b/django_mailbox/tests/test_integration_imap.py
@@ -64,7 +64,8 @@ class TestImap(EmailMessageTestCase):
             self.mailbox,
             condition=lambda m: m['subject'] == self.arbitrary_identifier
         )
+        message = next(messages)
 
-        self.assertEqual(1, len(messages))
-        self.assertEqual(messages[0].subject, self.arbitrary_identifier)
-        self.assertEqual(messages[0].text, text_content)
+        self.assertEqual(message.subject, self.arbitrary_identifier)
+        self.assertEqual(message.text, text_content)
+        self.assertEqual(0, len(list(messages)))
diff --git a/django_mailbox/tests/test_mailbox.py b/django_mailbox/tests/test_mailbox.py
index 10fa904..b55e70c 100644
--- a/django_mailbox/tests/test_mailbox.py
+++ b/django_mailbox/tests/test_mailbox.py
@@ -32,5 +32,5 @@ class TestMailbox(TestCase):
                 'generic_message.eml',
             ))
         self.assertEqual(mailbox.last_polling, None)
-        mailbox.get_new_mail()
+        list(mailbox.get_new_mail())
         self.assertNotEqual(mailbox.last_polling, None)