diff --git a/src/notifications.js b/src/notifications.js
index fde6a7209c..1310ff8f35 100644
--- a/src/notifications.js
+++ b/src/notifications.js
@@ -53,21 +53,30 @@ var async = require('async'),
 		});
 	};
 
-	Notifications.create = function(text, path, uniqueId, callback) {
+	Notifications.create = function(data, callback) {
 		/**
-		 * uniqueId is used solely to override stale nids.
+		 * data.uniqueId is used solely to override stale nids.
 		 * 		If a new nid is pushed to a user and an existing nid in the user's
 		 *		(un)read list contains the same uniqueId, it will be removed, and
 		 *		the new one put in its place.
 		 */
+
+		// Add default values to data Object if not already set
+		var	defaults = {
+				text: '',
+				path: null,
+				datetime: Date.now(),
+				uniqueId: utils.generateUUID()
+			};
+		for(var v in defaults) {
+			if (defaults.hasOwnProperty(v) && !data[v]) {
+				data[v] = defaults[v];
+			}
+		}
+
 		db.incrObjectField('global', 'nextNid', function(err, nid) {
 			db.setAdd('notifications', nid);
-			db.setObject('notifications:' + nid, {
-				text: text || '',
-				path: path || null,
-				datetime: Date.now(),
-				uniqueId: uniqueId || utils.generateUUID()
-			}, function(err, status) {
+			db.setObject('notifications:' + nid, data, function(err, status) {
 				if (!err) {
 					callback(nid);
 				}
@@ -75,18 +84,6 @@ var async = require('async'),
 		});
 	};
 
-	function destroy(nid) {
-
-		db.delete('notifications:' + nid, function(err, result) {
-			db.setRemove('notifications', nid, function(err, result) {
-				if (err) {
-					winston.error('Problem deleting expired notifications. Stack follows.');
-					winston.error(err.stack);
-				}
-			});
-		});
-	}
-
 	Notifications.push = function(nid, uids, callback) {
 		var websockets = require('./socket.io');
 		if (!Array.isArray(uids)) {
diff --git a/src/socket.io/modules.js b/src/socket.io/modules.js
index 66f638cadb..f7e2b57369 100644
--- a/src/socket.io/modules.js
+++ b/src/socket.io/modules.js
@@ -103,7 +103,11 @@ SocketModules.chats.send = function(socket, data) {
 			notifText = 'New message from <strong>' + username + '</strong>';
 
 		if (!module.parent.exports.isUserOnline(touid)) {
-			notifications.create(notifText, 'javascript:app.openChat(&apos;' + username + '&apos;, ' + socket.uid + ');', 'notification_' + socket.uid + '_' + touid, function(nid) {
+			notifications.create({
+				text: notifText,
+				path: 'javascript:app.openChat(&apos;' + username + '&apos;, ' + socket.uid + ');',
+				uniqueId: 'notification_' + socket.uid + '_' + touid
+			}, function(nid) {
 				notifications.push(nid, [touid], function(success) {
 
 				});
diff --git a/src/socket.io/posts.js b/src/socket.io/posts.js
index fd14805f31..87f94c195f 100644
--- a/src/socket.io/posts.js
+++ b/src/socket.io/posts.js
@@ -260,7 +260,11 @@ SocketPosts.flag = function(socket, pid, callback) {
 		},
 		function(adminGroup, next) {
 
-			notifications.create(message, path, 'post_flag:' + pid, function(nid) {
+			notifications.create({
+				text: message,
+				path: path,
+				uniqueId: 'post_flag:' + pid
+			}, function(nid) {
 				notifications.push(nid, adminGroup.members, function() {
 					next(null);
 				});
diff --git a/src/threadTools.js b/src/threadTools.js
index cd3b770e32..da80168473 100644
--- a/src/threadTools.js
+++ b/src/threadTools.js
@@ -268,7 +268,11 @@ var winston = require('winston'),
 							return next(err);
 						}
 
-						notifications.create('<strong>' + username + '</strong> has posted a reply to: "<strong>' + topicData.title + '</strong>"', nconf.get('relative_path') + '/topic/' + topicData.slug + '#' + pid, 'topic:' + tid, function(nid) {
+						notifications.create({
+							text: '<strong>' + username + '</strong> has posted a reply to: "<strong>' + topicData.title + '</strong>"',
+							path: nconf.get('relative_path') + '/topic/' + topicData.slug + '#' + pid,
+							uniqueId: 'topic:' + tid
+						}, function(nid) {
 							next(null, nid);
 						});
 					});
@@ -289,7 +293,7 @@ var winston = require('winston'),
 				});
 			}
 		], function(err, results) {
-			if (!err) {
+			if (!err && results[1].length) {
 				notifications.push(results[0], results[1]);
 			}
 		});
diff --git a/src/user.js b/src/user.js
index d0a22520df..d3105325d5 100644
--- a/src/user.js
+++ b/src/user.js
@@ -710,13 +710,19 @@ var bcrypt = require('bcryptjs'),
 	User.sendPostNotificationToFollowers = function(uid, tid, pid) {
 		User.getUserField(uid, 'username', function(err, username) {
 			db.getSetMembers('followers:' + uid, function(err, followers) {
-				topics.getTopicField(tid, 'slug', function(err, slug) {
-					var message = '<strong>' + username + '</strong> made a new post';
-
-					notifications.create(message, nconf.get('relative_path') + '/topic/' + slug + '#' + pid, 'topic:' + tid, function(nid) {
-						notifications.push(nid, followers);
+				if (followers && followers.length) {
+					topics.getTopicField(tid, 'slug', function(err, slug) {
+						var message = '<strong>' + username + '</strong> made a new post';
+
+						notifications.create({
+							text: message,
+							path: nconf.get('relative_path') + '/topic/' + slug + '#' + pid,
+							uniqueId: 'topic:' + tid
+						}, function(nid) {
+							notifications.push(nid, followers);
+						});
 					});
-				});
+				}
 			});
 		});
 	};