diff --git a/public/src/forum/footer.js b/public/src/forum/footer.js
index 4cb4d2efa8..6403518721 100644
--- a/public/src/forum/footer.js
+++ b/public/src/forum/footer.js
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@
 	socket.on('api:notifications.get', function(data) {
 		var	notifFrag = document.createDocumentFragment(),
 			notifEl = document.createElement('li'),
+			notifIcon = document.querySelector('.notifications a i'),
 			numRead = data.read.length,
 			numUnread = data.unread.length,
 			x;
@@ -114,18 +115,21 @@
 			notifFrag.appendChild(notifEl);
 		}
 		notifList.appendChild(notifFrag);
+
+		socket.emit('api:notifications.removeFlag');
+		notifIcon.className = 'icon-circle-blank';
 	});
-	socket.on('api:notifications.counts', function(counts) {
+	socket.on('api:notifications.hasFlag', function(flag) {
 		var notifIcon = document.querySelector('.notifications a i');
 		if(notifIcon) {
-			if (counts.unread > 0) notifIcon.className = 'icon-circle active';
+			if (flag > 0) notifIcon.className = 'icon-circle active';
 			else notifIcon.className = 'icon-circle-blank';
 		}
 	});
 	socket.on('event:new_notification', function() {
 		document.querySelector('.notifications a i').className = 'icon-circle active';
 	});
-	socket.emit('api:notifications.counts');
+	socket.emit('api:notifications.hasFlag');
 
 
 	require(['mobileMenu'], function(mobileMenu) {
diff --git a/src/notifications.js b/src/notifications.js
index f0a7c3e892..cde5bd220d 100644
--- a/src/notifications.js
+++ b/src/notifications.js
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ var	RDB = require('./redis.js'),
 					(function(uid) {
 						Notifications.remove_by_uniqueId(notif_data.uniqueId, uid, function() {
 							RDB.zadd('uid:' + uid + ':notifications:unread', notif_data.score, nid);
+							RDB.set('uid:' + uid + ':notifications:flag', 1);
 							global.io.sockets.in('uid_' + uid).emit('event:new_notification');
 							if (callback) callback(true);
 						});
diff --git a/src/user.js b/src/user.js
index 9d34bb75d4..f703e04d1a 100644
--- a/src/user.js
+++ b/src/user.js
@@ -789,20 +789,17 @@ var utils = require('./../public/src/utils.js'),
 				callback(notifications);
 			});
 		},
-		counts: function(uid, callback) {
-			async.parallel({
-				unread: function(next) {
-					RDB.zcount('uid:' + uid + ':notifications:unread', 0, 10, function(err, count) {
-						next(null, count);
-					});
-				},
-				read: function(next) {
-					RDB.zcount('uid:' + uid + ':notifications:read', 0, 10, function(err, count) {
-						next(null, count);
-					});
-				}
-			}, function(err, counts) {
-				callback(counts);
+		hasFlag: function(uid, callback) {
+			RDB.get('uid:1:notifications:flag', function(err, flag) {
+				if (err) RDB.handle(err);
+
+				if (flag === '1') callback(true);
+				else callback(false);
+			});
+		},
+		removeFlag: function(uid) {
+			RDB.del('uid:' + uid + ':notifications:flag', function(err) {
+				if (err) RDB.handle(err);
 			});
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/src/webserver.js b/src/webserver.js
index ac8ba2fccd..2cdc28ceb8 100644
--- a/src/webserver.js
+++ b/src/webserver.js
@@ -292,9 +292,6 @@ var express = require('express'),
 	app.get('/api/:method/:id*', api_method);
 
 	app.all('/test', function(req, res) {
-		notifications.create('normal 7', 5, '/topics/1', 'fteds', function(nid) {
-			notifications.push(nid, 1);
-		});
 		res.send();
 	});
 
diff --git a/src/websockets.js b/src/websockets.js
index a81dcfdc83..961f48b407 100644
--- a/src/websockets.js
+++ b/src/websockets.js
@@ -262,12 +262,16 @@ var SocketIO = require('socket.io').listen(global.server, { log:false }),
 			});
 		});
 
-		socket.on('api:notifications.counts', function(data) {
-			user.notifications.counts(uid, function(counts) {
-				socket.emit('api:notifications.counts', counts);
+		socket.on('api:notifications.hasFlag', function(data) {
+			user.notifications.hasFlag(uid, function(flag) {
+				socket.emit('api:notifications.hasFlag', flag);
 			});
 		});
 
+		socket.on('api:notifications.removeFlag', function() {
+			user.notifications.removeFlag(uid);
+		});
+
 		socket.on('api:notifications.mark_read', function(nid) {
 			notifications.mark_read(nid, uid);
 		});