diff --git a/libdino/src/service/chat_interaction.vala b/libdino/src/service/chat_interaction.vala
index c832aeca..d777db90 100644
--- a/libdino/src/service/chat_interaction.vala
+++ b/libdino/src/service/chat_interaction.vala
@@ -32,11 +32,19 @@ public class ChatInteraction : StreamInteractionModule, Object {
         stream_interactor.get_module(ContentItemStore.IDENTITY).new_item.connect(new_item);
     }
 
-    public bool has_unread(Conversation conversation) {
-        ContentItem? last_content_item = stream_interactor.get_module(ContentItemStore.IDENTITY).get_latest(conversation);
-        if (last_content_item == null) return false;
+    public int get_num_unread(Conversation conversation) {
+        ContentItem? read_up_to_item = stream_interactor.get_module(ContentItemStore.IDENTITY).get_item_by_id(conversation, conversation.read_up_to_item);
+        if (read_up_to_item == null) return 0;
 
-        return last_content_item.id != conversation.read_up_to_item;
+        Database db = Dino.Application.get_default().db;
+        string local_time = read_up_to_item.sort_time.to_unix().to_string();
+        string time = read_up_to_item.display_time.to_unix().to_string();
+        string id = read_up_to_item.id.to_string();
+        return (int)db.content_item.select()
+                .where(@"local_time > ? OR (local_time = ? AND time > ?) OR (local_time = ? AND time = ? AND id > ?)", { local_time, local_time, time, local_time, time, id })
+                .with(db.content_item.conversation_id, "=", conversation.id)
+                .with(db.content_item.hide, "=", false)
+                .count();
     }
 
     public bool is_active_focus(Conversation? conversation = null) {
diff --git a/main/data/conversation_row.ui b/main/data/conversation_row.ui
index 7772c907..8d257201 100644
--- a/main/data/conversation_row.ui
+++ b/main/data/conversation_row.ui
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
                                         <child>
                                             <object class="GtkRevealer" id="time_revealer">
                                                 <property name="transition-type">slide-right</property>
-                                                <property name="transition-duration">100</property>
+                                                <property name="transition-duration">50</property>
                                                 <property name="reveal-child">True</property>
                                                 <property name="visible">True</property>
                                                 <child>
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@
                                             <object class="GtkLabel" id="nick_label">
                                                 <property name="max_width_chars">15</property>
                                                 <property name="ellipsize">end</property>
+                                                <property name="valign">end</property>
                                                 <property name="xalign">0</property>
                                                 <style>
                                                     <class name="dim-label"/>
@@ -86,12 +87,36 @@
                                                 <property name="max_width_chars">1</property>
                                                 <property name="ellipsize">end</property>
                                                 <property name="expand">True</property>
+                                                <property name="valign">end</property>
                                                 <property name="xalign">0</property>
                                                 <attributes>
                                                     <attribute name="scale" value="0.8"/>
                                                 </attributes>
                                             </object>
                                         </child>
+                                        <child>
+                                            <object class="GtkRevealer" id="unread_count_revealer">
+                                                <property name="transition-type">slide-right</property>
+                                                <property name="transition-duration">50</property>
+                                                <property name="reveal-child">True</property>
+                                                <property name="visible">True</property>
+                                                <child>
+                                                    <object class="GtkLabel" id="unread_count_label">
+                                                        <property name="vexpand">False</property>
+                                                        <property name="visible">False</property>
+                                                        <property name="margin-start">15</property>
+                                                        <property name="xalign">0.5</property>
+                                                        <attributes>
+                                                            <attribute name="scale" value="0.6"/>
+                                                            <attribute name="weight" value="PANGO_WEIGHT_BOLD"/>
+                                                        </attributes>
+                                                        <style>
+                                                            <class name="unread-count"/>
+                                                        </style>
+                                                    </object>
+                                                </child>
+                                            </object>
+                                        </child>
                                     </object>
                                 </child>
                             </object>
@@ -116,6 +141,7 @@
                                             <object class="GtkButton" id="x_button">
                                                 <property name="vexpand">False</property>
                                                 <property name="visible">True</property>
+                                                <property name="margin-start">5</property>
                                                 <style>
                                                     <class name="conversation_list_row_xbutton"/>
                                                     <class name="circular"/>
diff --git a/main/data/theme.css b/main/data/theme.css
index fb6e2b11..09e282ec 100644
--- a/main/data/theme.css
+++ b/main/data/theme.css
@@ -42,6 +42,14 @@ window.dino-main .dino-conversation .message-box:hover {
     background: alpha(@theme_fg_color, 0.04);
 }
 
+window.dino-main .unread-count {
+    background-color: alpha(@theme_fg_color, 0.8);
+    color: @theme_base_color;
+    font-family: monospace;
+    border-radius: 999em;
+    padding: .2em .41em;
+}
+
 window.dino-main .dino-sidebar > frame {
     background: @insensitive_bg_color;
     border-left: 1px solid @borders;
diff --git a/main/src/ui/conversation_selector/conversation_selector_row.vala b/main/src/ui/conversation_selector/conversation_selector_row.vala
index a5148a8f..7c25ee8d 100644
--- a/main/src/ui/conversation_selector/conversation_selector_row.vala
+++ b/main/src/ui/conversation_selector/conversation_selector_row.vala
@@ -17,9 +17,11 @@ public class ConversationSelectorRow : ListBoxRow {
     [GtkChild] protected Label time_label;
     [GtkChild] protected Label nick_label;
     [GtkChild] protected Label message_label;
+    [GtkChild] protected Label unread_count_label;
     [GtkChild] protected Button x_button;
     [GtkChild] protected Revealer time_revealer;
     [GtkChild] protected Revealer xbutton_revealer;
+    [GtkChild] protected Revealer unread_count_revealer;
     [GtkChild] public Revealer main_revealer;
 
     public Conversation conversation { get; private set; }
@@ -27,7 +29,7 @@ public class ConversationSelectorRow : ListBoxRow {
     protected const int AVATAR_SIZE = 40;
 
     protected ContentItem? last_content_item;
-    protected bool read = true;
+    protected int num_unread = 0;
 
 
     protected StreamInteractor stream_interactor;
@@ -202,21 +204,27 @@ public class ConversationSelectorRow : ListBoxRow {
     }
 
     protected void update_read() {
-        bool current_read_status = !stream_interactor.get_module(ChatInteraction.IDENTITY).has_unread(conversation);
-        if (read == current_read_status) return;
-        read = current_read_status;
+        int current_num_unread = stream_interactor.get_module(ChatInteraction.IDENTITY).get_num_unread(conversation);
+        if (num_unread == current_num_unread) return;
+        num_unread = current_num_unread;
+
+        if (num_unread == 0) {
+            unread_count_label.visible = false;
 
-        if (read) {
             name_label.attributes.filter((attr) => attr.equal(attr_weight_new(Weight.BOLD)));
             time_label.attributes.filter((attr) => attr.equal(attr_weight_new(Weight.BOLD)));
             nick_label.attributes.filter((attr) => attr.equal(attr_weight_new(Weight.BOLD)));
             message_label.attributes.filter((attr) => attr.equal(attr_weight_new(Weight.BOLD)));
         } else {
+            unread_count_label.label = num_unread.to_string();
+            unread_count_label.visible = true;
+
             name_label.attributes.insert(attr_weight_new(Weight.BOLD));
             time_label.attributes.insert(attr_weight_new(Weight.BOLD));
             nick_label.attributes.insert(attr_weight_new(Weight.BOLD));
             message_label.attributes.insert(attr_weight_new(Weight.BOLD));
         }
+
         name_label.label = name_label.label; // TODO initializes redrawing, which would otherwise not happen. nicer?
         time_label.label = time_label.label;
         nick_label.label = nick_label.label;
@@ -227,9 +235,11 @@ public class ConversationSelectorRow : ListBoxRow {
         StateFlags curr_flags = get_state_flags();
         if ((curr_flags & StateFlags.PRELIGHT) != 0) {
             time_revealer.set_reveal_child(false);
+            unread_count_revealer.set_reveal_child(false);
             xbutton_revealer.set_reveal_child(true);
         } else {
             time_revealer.set_reveal_child(true);
+            unread_count_revealer.set_reveal_child(true);
             xbutton_revealer.set_reveal_child(false);
         }
     }