diff --git a/js/background.js b/js/background.js
index 8eea93b11..441cc2244 100644
--- a/js/background.js
+++ b/js/background.js
@@ -194,6 +194,9 @@
                     }
                 }
                 attributes.active_at = now;
+                if (type === 'incoming') {
+                    attributes.unreadCount = conversation.get('unreadCount') + 1;
+                }
                 conversation.set(attributes);
 
                 message.set({
diff --git a/js/inbox_controller.js b/js/inbox_controller.js
index 86bbd6f50..77dfa22e9 100644
--- a/js/inbox_controller.js
+++ b/js/inbox_controller.js
@@ -29,9 +29,10 @@
         }
     });
 
+    inbox.on('change:active_at', inbox.sort);
+
     function fetch() {
         window.inbox.fetch({
-            reset: true,
             index: {
                 name: 'inbox', // 'inbox' index on active_at
                 order: 'desc'  // ORDER timestamp DESC
diff --git a/js/models/conversations.js b/js/models/conversations.js
index b21af2018..2fd7902ea 100644
--- a/js/models/conversations.js
+++ b/js/models/conversations.js
@@ -139,6 +139,12 @@
         return new Promise(function (resolve) { m.save().then(resolve(m)); });
     },
 
+    markRead: function() {
+        if (this.get('unreadCount') > 0) {
+            this.save({unreadCount: 0});
+        }
+    },
+
     fetchMessages: function(options) {
         return this.messageCollection.fetchConversation(this.id, options);
     },
diff --git a/js/panel_controller.js b/js/panel_controller.js
index e95d466b1..6ba521474 100644
--- a/js/panel_controller.js
+++ b/js/panel_controller.js
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@
     }
 
     window.openConversation = function openConversation (modelId) {
-        var conversation = conversations.add({id: modelId});
+        var conversation = window.inbox.get(modelId) || {id: modelId};
+        conversation = conversations.add(conversation);
         conversation.fetch().then(function() {
             conversation.fetchContacts();
         });
diff --git a/js/views/conversation_list_item_view.js b/js/views/conversation_list_item_view.js
index a8452a42a..b88718349 100644
--- a/js/views/conversation_list_item_view.js
+++ b/js/views/conversation_list_item_view.js
@@ -38,15 +38,22 @@
         render: function() {
             this.$el.html(
                 Mustache.render(this.template, {
-                contact_name: this.model.getTitle(),
-                last_message: this.model.get('lastMessage'),
-                last_message_timestamp: moment(this.model.get('timestamp')).format('MMM D'),
-                number: this.model.getNumber()
+                    contact_name: this.model.getTitle(),
+                    last_message: this.model.get('lastMessage'),
+                    last_message_timestamp: moment(this.model.get('timestamp')).format('MMM D'),
+                    number: this.model.getNumber()
                 })
             );
 
             twemoji.parse(this.el, { base: '/components/twemoji/', size: 16 });
 
+            var unread = this.model.get('unreadCount');
+            if (unread > 0) {
+                this.$el.addClass('unread');
+            } else {
+                this.$el.removeClass('unread');
+            }
+
             if (this.model.get('avatar')) {
                 this.$el.find('.avatar').append(
                     new Whisper.AttachmentView({model: this.model.get('avatar')}).render().el
diff --git a/js/views/conversation_view.js b/js/views/conversation_view.js
index 8490c501a..ec0d7f244 100644
--- a/js/views/conversation_view.js
+++ b/js/views/conversation_view.js
@@ -56,10 +56,19 @@
             'click .new-group-update': 'newGroupUpdate',
             'click .verify-identity': 'verifyIdentity',
             'click .hamburger': 'toggleMenu',
-            'click' : 'closeMenu',
+            'click' : 'onClick',
             'select .entry': 'messageDetail'
         },
 
+        onClick: function(e) {
+            this.closeMenu(e);
+            this.markRead(e);
+        },
+
+        markRead: function(e) {
+            this.model.markRead();
+        },
+
         verifyIdentity: function() {
             if (this.model.isPrivate()) {
                 var number = this.model.id;
diff --git a/js/views/inbox_view.js b/js/views/inbox_view.js
index f4901b250..89f2b68ee 100644
--- a/js/views/inbox_view.js
+++ b/js/views/inbox_view.js
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@
                 collection : bg.inbox
             }).render();
 
+            this.inbox.listenTo(bg.inbox, 'sort', this.inbox.render);
+
             new SocketView().render().$el.appendTo(this.$el.find('.socket-status'));
 
             window.addEventListener('beforeunload', function () {
diff --git a/stylesheets/_index.scss b/stylesheets/_index.scss
index 49f147d40..b4ec47e63 100644
--- a/stylesheets/_index.scss
+++ b/stylesheets/_index.scss
@@ -233,3 +233,11 @@ input.new-message {
     display: block;
   }
 }
+
+.conversations .unread .contact-details {
+    .contact-name,
+    .last-message,
+    .last-timestamp {
+      font-weight: bold;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/stylesheets/manifest.css b/stylesheets/manifest.css
index e3c3cd366..db9414df9 100644
--- a/stylesheets/manifest.css
+++ b/stylesheets/manifest.css
@@ -300,6 +300,11 @@ input.new-message {
   .settings-open .settings {
     display: block; }
 
+.conversations .unread .contact-details .contact-name,
+.conversations .unread .contact-details .last-message,
+.conversations .unread .contact-details .last-timestamp {
+  font-weight: bold; }
+
 .conversation {
   padding: 36px 0; }