Is imap "list" required before imap "select" for shared folder?

I set up a shared mailbox with dovecot and it basically works. However, before I can imap SELECT or STATUS the shared mailbox I have to first do an imap LIST, i.e,

. list "" *

If list is not done first, the imap select or status command on the shared mailbox results in a "NO" response with "mailbox doesn't exist" response text.

I can provide more information if this is not expected behavior.

-gene