diff --git a/cmd/server/fetch.go b/cmd/server/fetch.go
index 624b372..b2cf42a 100644
--- a/cmd/server/fetch.go
+++ b/cmd/server/fetch.go
@@ -368,11 +368,18 @@ func (b *memoryBackend) channelAddItem(channel string, item microsub.Item) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	_, err = b.Redis.Do("SADD", channelKey, itemKey)
+	added, err := redis.Int64(b.Redis.Do("SADD", channelKey, itemKey))
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("error while adding item %s to channel %s for redis: %v\n", itemKey, channelKey, err)
 		return
 	}
+
+	if added > 0 {
+		if c, e := b.Channels[channel]; e {
+			c.Unread = true
+			b.Channels[channel] = c
+		}
+	}
 }
 
 type redisItem struct {
diff --git a/cmd/server/null.go b/cmd/server/null.go
index d1a0c04..8f8d286 100644
--- a/cmd/server/null.go
+++ b/cmd/server/null.go
@@ -28,10 +28,10 @@ type NullBackend struct {
 // ChannelsGetList gets no channels
 func (b *NullBackend) ChannelsGetList() []microsub.Channel {
 	return []microsub.Channel{
-		microsub.Channel{"0000", "default", 0},
-		microsub.Channel{"0001", "notifications", 0},
-		microsub.Channel{"1000", "Friends", 0},
-		microsub.Channel{"1001", "Family", 0},
+		microsub.Channel{UID: "0000", Name: "default", Unread: false},
+		microsub.Channel{UID: "0001", Name: "notifications", Unread: false},
+		microsub.Channel{UID: "1000", Name: "Friends", Unread: false},
+		microsub.Channel{UID: "1001", Name: "Family", Unread: false},
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/microsub/protocol.go b/microsub/protocol.go
index 82efad9..8b26694 100644
--- a/microsub/protocol.go
+++ b/microsub/protocol.go
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ type Channel struct {
 	// UID is a unique id for the channel
 	UID    string `json:"uid"`
 	Name   string `json:"name"`
-	Unread int    `json:"unread"`
+	Unread bool   `json:"unread"`
 }
 
 type Author struct {