diff --git a/Lib/imaplib.py b/Lib/imaplib.py
index 2608a444a21..56aac07c27b 100644
--- a/Lib/imaplib.py
+++ b/Lib/imaplib.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import binascii, errno, random, re, socket, subprocess, sys, time, calendar
 from collections import namedtuple
 from datetime import datetime, timezone, timedelta
 from io import DEFAULT_BUFFER_SIZE
+from typing import Tuple
 
 try:
     import ssl
@@ -664,39 +665,43 @@ class IMAP4:
         typ, dat = self._simple_command(name, directory, pattern)
         return self._untagged_response(typ, dat, name)
 
-    def move_messages(self, target: str, messages: str) -> None:
+    def move_messages(self, target: str, msgs: str) -> Tuple[str, str]:
         """
         Higher level command to move message inside of one account.
+        Following RFC-6851.
 
-        :param target: name of the folder to move messages into
-        :param messages: UID sequence set (according to
+        :param str target: name of the folder to move messages into
+        :param str messages: UID sequence set (according to
                          https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc3501#section-9)
+        :return: type, data tuple; type is 'OK' or something else in
+                 case of failure.
+        :rtype: tuple [str, str]
         """
         if self._features_available.MOVE:
             typ, dat = self._simple_command('UID', 'MOVE',
-                                            messages, target)
-            ok, data = self._untagged_response(typ, dat, 'MOVE')
-            if ok != 'OK':
-                raise IOError('Cannot move messages to folder %s' % target)
+                                            msgs, target)
+            return self._untagged_response(typ, dat, 'MOVE')
         elif self._features_available.UIDPLUS:
-            ok, data = self.uid('COPY', '%s %s' % (messages, target))
+            ok, data = self.uid('COPY', f'{msgs} {target}')
             if ok != 'OK':
-                raise IOError('Cannot copy messages to folder %s' % target)
+                return ok, f'Cannot copy messages {msgs} to folder {target}'
             ok, data = self.uid('STORE',
-                                    r'+FLAGS.SILENT (\DELETED) %s' % messages)
+                                f'+FLAGS.SILENT (\\DELETED) {msgs}')
             if ok != 'OK':
-                raise IOError('Cannot delete messages.')
-            ok, data = self.uid('EXPUNGE', messages)
+                return ok, f'Cannot delete messages {msgs}.'
+            ok, data = self.uid('EXPUNGE', msgs)
             if ok != 'OK':
-                raise IOError('Cannot expunge messages.')
+                return ok, f'Cannot expunge messages {msgs}.'
+            return ok, f'Messages {msgs} moved to {target}.'
         else:
-            ok, data = self.uid('COPY', '%s %s' % (messages, target))
+            ok, data = self.uid('COPY', f'{msgs} {target}')
             if ok != 'OK':
-                raise IOError('Cannot copy messages to folder %s' % target)
+                return ok, f'Cannot copy messages {msgs} to folder {target}'
             ok, data = self.uid('STORE',
-                                    r'+FLAGS.SILENT (\DELETED) %s' % messages)
+                                f'+FLAGS.SILENT (\\DELETED) {msgs}')
             if ok != 'OK':
-                raise IOError('Cannot delete messages.')
+                return ok, f'Cannot delete messages {msgs}.'
+            return ok, f'Messages {msgs} moved to {target}.'
 
     def myrights(self, mailbox):
         """Show my ACLs for a mailbox (i.e. the rights that I have on mailbox).
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_imaplib.py b/Lib/test/test_imaplib.py
index d5e8e147d7d..b313d361244 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_imaplib.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_imaplib.py
@@ -558,36 +558,38 @@ class NewIMAPTestsMixin():
                 self._send_tagged(tag, 'OK', 'okay')
 
             def cmd_CREATE(self, tag, args):
-                print(f'args = {args}')
                 self._send_textline('* CREATE ' + args[0])
                 self._send_tagged(tag, 'OK', 'okay')
 
+            def cmd_MOVE(self, tag, args):
+                self._send_textline('* MOVE ' + args[0])
+                self._send_tagged(tag, 'OK', 'okay')
+
+            def cmd_SELECT(self, tag, args):
+                self.server.is_selected = True
+                self._send_textline('* 2 EXISTS')
+                self._send_tagged(tag, 'OK', '[READ-WRITE] SELECT completed.')
+
         client, _ = self._setup(MoveServer)
         typ, data = client.login('user', 'pass')
-        self.assertEqual(len(client._features_available), 2)
         typ, data = client.create('source')
-        self.assertEqual(typ, 'OK')
         typ, data = client.create('target')
-        self.assertEqual(typ, 'OK')
+        typ, data = client.select('source')
 
         msg = EmailMessage()
-        msg.set_content('This is a testing message')
         msg['Subject'] = 'Test message'
         msg['From'] = 'test@example.com'
         msg['To'] = 'testee@example.com'
-        # typ, data = client.append('source', None, None, msg.as_bytes())
-        # self.assertEqual(typ, 'OK')
-        # typ, data = client.select('source')
-        # self.assertEqual(typ, 'OK')
-        # self.assertEqual(int(data[0]), 1)
-        # typ, data = client.search(None, 'source')
-        # self.assertEqual(typ, 'OK')
-        # msg_id =
-        # typ, data = client.move_messages()
-        # self.assertEqual(typ, 'OK')
-        # typ, data = client.search(None, 'target')
-        # self.assertEqual(typ, 'OK')
-        # self.assertEqual(int(data[0]), 1)
+        msg.set_content('This is a testing message')
+        print(f'=========================\nmsg:\n{msg}=============')
+        typ, data = client.append('source', None, None, msg.as_bytes())
+
+        typ, data = client.search(None, 'ALL')
+        typ, data = client.move_messages('target', data[0])
+        self.assertEqual(typ, 'OK')
+        typ, data = client.search(None, 'target', 'ALL')
+        self.assertEqual(typ, 'OK')
+        self.assertEqual(int(data[0]), 1)
 
 
 class NewIMAPTests(NewIMAPTestsMixin, unittest.TestCase):