diff --git a/public/templates/category.tpl b/public/templates/category.tpl
index b0bf52d5a3..4bda45c74f 100644
--- a/public/templates/category.tpl
+++ b/public/templates/category.tpl
@@ -21,9 +21,9 @@
 				<img src="http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/91050ce0072697b53380c6a03a1bc12a?s=60" class="img-polaroid" />
 			</div>
 			<div>
-				<h3><span class="badge badge-important">3</span> {topics.title} <small>24<i class="icon-star"></i></small></h3> 
+				<h3><span class="badge {topics.badgeclass}">{topics.post_count}</span> {topics.title} <small>24<i class="icon-star"></i></small></h3> 
 				<p> Posted {topics.relativeTime} ago by 
-					<span class="username">{topics.username}</span>. {topics.post_count} posts.</p>
+					<span class="username">{topics.username}</span>.</p>
 			</div>
 		</div>
 	</div>
diff --git a/src/posts.js b/src/posts.js
index 0c92061829..c85da614e6 100644
--- a/src/posts.js
+++ b/src/posts.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ var	RDB = require('./redis.js'),
 	utils = require('./utils.js'),
 	marked = require('marked'),
 	user = require('./user.js'),
+	topics = require('./topics.js'),
 	config = require('../config.js');
 
 (function(Posts) {
@@ -12,6 +13,7 @@ var	RDB = require('./redis.js'),
 
 		var post_data, user_data, thread_data, vote_data, viewer_data;
 
+		topics.markAsRead(tid, current_user);
 
 		//compile thread after all data is asynchronously called
 		function generateThread() {
@@ -123,6 +125,8 @@ var	RDB = require('./redis.js'),
 			if (pid > 0) {
 				RDB.rpush('tid:' + tid + ':posts', pid);
 
+				RDB.del('tid:' + tid + ':read_by_uid'); // let everybody know there is an unread post
+
 				socket.emit('event:alert', {
 					title: 'Reply Successful',
 					message: 'You have successfully replied. Click here to view your reply.',
diff --git a/src/topics.js b/src/topics.js
index 89e6c9ab26..54911f672d 100644
--- a/src/topics.js
+++ b/src/topics.js
@@ -12,8 +12,7 @@ var	RDB = require('./redis.js'),
 	}
 
 
-
-	Topics.get = function(callback, category_id, start, end) {
+	Topics.get = function(callback, category_id, current_user, start, end) {
 		if (start == null) start = 0;
 		if (end == null) end = start + 10;
 
@@ -70,15 +69,18 @@ var	RDB = require('./redis.js'),
 					locked = replies[6];
 					deleted = replies[7];
 					pinned = replies[8];
-					
-					user.get_usernames_by_uids(uid, function(userNames) {
-						
-						for (var i=0, ii=title.length; i<ii; i++) {
-							
+
+					var usernames,
+						has_read;
+
+					function generate_topic() {
+						if (!usernames || !has_read) return;
+
+						for (var i=0, ii=title.length; i<ii; i++) {			
 							topics.push({
 								'title' : title[i],
 								'uid' : uid[i],
-								'username': userNames[i],
+								'username': usernames[i],
 								'timestamp' : timestamp[i],
 								'relativeTime': utils.relativeTime(timestamp[i]),
 								'slug' : slug[i],
@@ -86,7 +88,8 @@ var	RDB = require('./redis.js'),
 								'lock-icon': locked[i] === '1' ? 'icon-lock' : 'none',
 								'deleted': deleted[i],
 								'pinned': parseInt(pinned[i] || 0),	// For sorting purposes
-								'pin-icon': pinned[i] === '1' ? 'icon-pushpin' : 'none'
+								'pin-icon': pinned[i] === '1' ? 'icon-pushpin' : 'none',
+								'badgeclass' : (has_read[i] && current_user !=0) ? '' : 'badge-important'
 							});
 						}
 
@@ -101,8 +104,17 @@ var	RDB = require('./redis.js'),
 							'category_id': category_id || 0,
 							'topics': topics
 						});
+					}
 					
+					user.get_usernames_by_uids(uid, function(userNames) {
+						usernames = userNames;
+						generate_topic();
 					});	
+
+					Topics.hasReadTopics(tids, current_user, function(hasRead) {
+						has_read = hasRead;
+						generate_topic();
+					});
 				}
 				else {
 					callback({
@@ -119,6 +131,23 @@ var	RDB = require('./redis.js'),
 		});
 	}
 
+
+	Topics.markAsRead = function(tid, uid) {
+		RDB.sadd('tid:' + tid + ':read_by_uid', uid);
+	}
+
+	Topics.hasReadTopics = function(tids, uid, callback) {
+		var batch = RDB.multi();
+
+		for (var i=0, ii=tids.length; i<ii; i++) {
+			batch.sismember('tid:' + tids[i] + ':read_by_uid', uid);	
+		}
+		
+		batch.exec(function(err, hasRead) {
+			callback(hasRead);
+		});
+	}
+
 	Topics.post = function(socket, uid, title, content, category_id) {
 		if (!category_id) throw new Error('Attempted to post without a category_id');
 		
diff --git a/src/webserver.js b/src/webserver.js
index 151b179ca1..e289f6218a 100644
--- a/src/webserver.js
+++ b/src/webserver.js
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ var express = require('express'),
 			case 'category' :
 					global.modules.topics.get(function(data) {
 						res.send(JSON.stringify(data));
-					}, req.params.id);
+					}, req.params.id, (req.user) ? req.user.uid : 0);
 				break;
 			case 'latest' :
 					global.modules.topics.get(function(data) {