diff --git a/app/assets/stylesheets/chat.scss b/app/assets/stylesheets/chat.scss
index 2d24038f5..ca2c554b1 100644
--- a/app/assets/stylesheets/chat.scss
+++ b/app/assets/stylesheets/chat.scss
@@ -798,11 +798,12 @@
 }
 
 .chatchanneltabbutton {
-  width: 93%;
+  width: calc(95% - 2px);
   border: none;
   background: transparent;
   padding: 3px 0px;
   margin-bottom: -5px 0;
+  box-sizing: border-box;
   @include themeable(color,
     theme-color,
     $black);
@@ -817,7 +818,7 @@
 
 .chatchanneltab {
   display: inline-block;
-  width: 90%;
+  width: 100%;
   margin-bottom: 5px;
   background: inherit;
   text-align: start;
@@ -829,6 +830,7 @@
   white-space: nowrap;
   overflow: hidden;
   text-overflow: ellipsis;
+  box-sizing: border-box;
 
   @media screen and (min-width: 550px) {
     font-size: 13px;
diff --git a/app/assets/stylesheets/scaffolds.scss b/app/assets/stylesheets/scaffolds.scss
index bfc3873bc..f8cf553a2 100644
--- a/app/assets/stylesheets/scaffolds.scss
+++ b/app/assets/stylesheets/scaffolds.scss
@@ -207,6 +207,10 @@ body.night-theme, body.ten-x-hacker-theme {
   .partner-image-light-mode {
     display: none !important;
   }
+
+  .not-dark-theme-text-compatible {
+    @include themeable-important(color, theme-secondary-color, white);
+  }
 }
 
 // Alternate base fonts
diff --git a/app/controllers/chat_channels_controller.rb b/app/controllers/chat_channels_controller.rb
index 86a95c9fe..c92a3a1af 100644
--- a/app/controllers/chat_channels_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/chat_channels_controller.rb
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ class ChatChannelsController < ApplicationController
     if params[:state] == "unopened"
       authorize ChatChannel
       render_unopened_json_response
+    elsif params[:state] == "unopened_ids"
+      authorize ChatChannel
+      render_unopened_ids_response
     elsif params[:state] == "pending"
       authorize ChatChannel
       render_pending_json_response
@@ -134,6 +137,12 @@ class ChatChannelsController < ApplicationController
     render "index.json"
   end
 
+  def render_unopened_ids_response
+    @unopened_ids = ChatChannelMembership.where(user_id: session_current_user_id).includes(:chat_channel).
+      where(has_unopened_messages: true).pluck(:chat_channel_id)
+    render json: { unopened_ids: @unopened_ids }
+  end
+
   def render_channels_html
     return unless current_user
 
diff --git a/app/javascript/chat/__tests__/__snapshots__/message.test.jsx.snap b/app/javascript/chat/__tests__/__snapshots__/message.test.jsx.snap
index db8d9b527..772bf7766 100644
--- a/app/javascript/chat/__tests__/__snapshots__/message.test.jsx.snap
+++ b/app/javascript/chat/__tests__/__snapshots__/message.test.jsx.snap
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ exports[`<Message /> should render and test snapshot 1`] = `
         class="message__info"
       >
         <span
-          class="chatmessagebody__username"
+          class="chatmessagebody__username not-dark-theme-text-compatible"
           style={
             Object {
               "color": "#00FFFF",
diff --git a/app/javascript/chat/__tests__/channels.test.jsx b/app/javascript/chat/__tests__/channels.test.jsx
index 565c29a97..79c38bb7e 100644
--- a/app/javascript/chat/__tests__/channels.test.jsx
+++ b/app/javascript/chat/__tests__/channels.test.jsx
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ const getChannels = (mod, chatChannels) => (
     incomingVideoCallChannelIds={[]} // no incoming calls
     activeChannelId={12345}
     chatChannels={chatChannels}
+    unopenedChannelIds={[]}
     handleSwitchChannel={fakeSwitchChannel}
     channelsLoaded
     filterQuery=""
diff --git a/app/javascript/chat/actions.js b/app/javascript/chat/actions.js
index f492a456d..780b18158 100644
--- a/app/javascript/chat/actions.js
+++ b/app/javascript/chat/actions.js
@@ -137,6 +137,16 @@ export function getChannels(
   });
 }
 
+export function getUnopenedChannelIds(successCb) {
+  fetch('/chat_channels?state=unopened_ids', {
+    credentials: 'same-origin',
+  })
+    .then(response => response.json())
+    .then(json => {
+      successCb(json.unopened_ids);
+    });
+}
+
 export function getTwilioToken(videoChannelName, successCb, failureCb) {
   fetch(`/twilio_tokens/${videoChannelName}`, {
     Accept: 'application/json',
diff --git a/app/javascript/chat/channels.jsx b/app/javascript/chat/channels.jsx
index c9b88098f..17abc35e4 100644
--- a/app/javascript/chat/channels.jsx
+++ b/app/javascript/chat/channels.jsx
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import ConfigImage from 'images/three-dots.svg';
 const Channels = ({
   activeChannelId,
   chatChannels,
+  unopenedChannelIds,
   handleSwitchChannel,
   expanded,
   filterQuery,
@@ -14,10 +15,7 @@ const Channels = ({
 }) => {
   const channels = chatChannels.map(channel => {
     const isActive = parseInt(activeChannelId, 10) === channel.chat_channel_id;
-    const lastOpened = channel.last_opened_at;
-    const isUnopened =
-      new Date(channel.channel_last_message_at) > new Date(lastOpened) &&
-      channel.channel_messages_count > 0;
+    const isUnopened = !isActive && unopenedChannelIds.includes(channel.chat_channel_id)
     let newMessagesIndicator = isUnopened ? 'new' : 'old';
     if (incomingVideoCallChannelIds.indexOf(channel.chat_channel_id) > -1) {
       newMessagesIndicator = 'video';
@@ -114,6 +112,7 @@ const Channels = ({
 Channels.propTypes = {
   activeChannelId: PropTypes.number.isRequired,
   chatChannels: PropTypes.arrayOf(PropTypes.objectOf()).isRequired,
+  unopenedChannelIds: PropTypes.arrayOf().isRequired,
   handleSwitchChannel: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
   expanded: PropTypes.bool.isRequired,
   filterQuery: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
diff --git a/app/javascript/chat/chat.jsx b/app/javascript/chat/chat.jsx
index 0e2bd1b2f..30293194e 100644
--- a/app/javascript/chat/chat.jsx
+++ b/app/javascript/chat/chat.jsx
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import {
   sendMessage,
   sendOpen,
   getChannels,
+  getUnopenedChannelIds,
   getContent,
   getChannelInvites,
   sendChannelInviteAction,
@@ -41,6 +42,7 @@ export default class Chat extends Component {
       scrolled: false,
       showAlert: false,
       chatChannels,
+      unopenedChannelIds: [],
       filterQuery: '',
       channelTypeFilter: 'all',
       channelsLoaded: false,
@@ -92,9 +94,6 @@ export default class Chat extends Component {
       channel => `open-channel-${channel.chat_channel_id}`,
     );
     setupObserver(this.observerCallback);
-    if (!window.currentUser) {
-      window.currentUser = JSON.parse(document.body.dataset.user);
-    }
     this.subscribePusher(
       `private-message-notifications-${currentUserId}`,
     );
@@ -114,6 +113,7 @@ export default class Chat extends Component {
         filters,
         this.loadChannels,
       );
+      getUnopenedChannelIds(this.markUnopenedChannelIds)
     }
     if (!isMobileDevice) {
       document.getElementById('messageform').focus();
@@ -237,6 +237,10 @@ export default class Chat extends Component {
     document.getElementById('chatchannels__channelslist').scrollTop = 0;
   };
 
+  markUnopenedChannelIds = (ids) => {
+    this.setState({unopenedChannelIds: ids})
+  }
+
   subscribeChannelsToPusher = (channels, channelNameFn) => {
     channels.forEach(channel => {
       this.subscribePusher(channelNameFn(channel));
@@ -341,7 +345,7 @@ export default class Chat extends Component {
   };
 
   receiveNewMessage = message => {
-    const { messages, activeChannelId, scrolled, chatChannels } = this.state;
+    const { messages, activeChannelId, scrolled, chatChannels, unopenedChannelIds } = this.state;
     const receivedChatChannelId = message.chat_channel_id;
     let newMessages = [];
     if (
@@ -389,7 +393,16 @@ export default class Chat extends Component {
 
     if (receivedChatChannelId === activeChannelId) {
       sendOpen(receivedChatChannelId, this.handleChannelOpenSuccess, null);
+    } else {
+      const newUnopenedChannels = unopenedChannelIds
+      if (!unopenedChannelIds.includes(receivedChatChannelId)) {
+        newUnopenedChannels.push(receivedChatChannelId)
+      }  
+      this.setState({
+        unopenedChannelIds: newUnopenedChannels
+      })
     }
+
     this.setState(prevState => ({
       ...newShowAlert,
       chatChannels: newChannelsObj,
@@ -545,7 +558,7 @@ export default class Chat extends Component {
       target = target.parentElement;
     }
     this.triggerSwitchChannel(
-      target.dataset.channelId,
+      parseInt(target.dataset.channelId, 10),
       target.dataset.channelSlug,
     );
   };
@@ -581,12 +594,18 @@ export default class Chat extends Component {
   };
 
   triggerSwitchChannel = (id, slug) => {
-    const { chatChannels, isMobileDevice } = this.state;
+    const { chatChannels, isMobileDevice, unopenedChannelIds } = this.state;
+    const newUnopenedChannelIds = unopenedChannelIds
+    const index = newUnopenedChannelIds.indexOf(id);
+    if (index > -1) {
+      newUnopenedChannelIds.splice(index, 1);
+    }
     this.setState({
       activeChannel: this.filterForActiveChannel(chatChannels, id),
       activeChannelId: parseInt(id, 10),
       scrolled: false,
       showAlert: false,
+      unopenedChannelIds: unopenedChannelIds.filter(unopenedId => unopenedId !== id)
     });
     this.setupChannel(id);
     window.history.replaceState(null, null, `/connect/${slug}`);
@@ -838,7 +857,7 @@ export default class Chat extends Component {
     }
     return messages[activeChannelId].map(message => (
       <Message
-        currentUserId={window.currentUser.id}
+        currentUserId={currentUserId}
         id={message.id}
         user={message.username}
         userID={message.user_id}
@@ -954,6 +973,7 @@ export default class Chat extends Component {
             <Channels
               activeChannelId={state.activeChannelId}
               chatChannels={state.chatChannels}
+              unopenedChannelIds={state.unopenedChannelIds}
               handleSwitchChannel={this.handleSwitchChannel}
               channelsLoaded={state.channelsLoaded}
               filterQuery={state.filterQuery}
@@ -979,6 +999,7 @@ export default class Chat extends Component {
             incomingVideoCallChannelIds={state.incomingVideoCallChannelIds}
             activeChannelId={state.activeChannelId}
             chatChannels={state.chatChannels}
+            unopenedChannelIds={state.unopenedChannelIds}
             handleSwitchChannel={this.handleSwitchChannel}
             expanded={state.expanded}
           />
@@ -997,6 +1018,10 @@ export default class Chat extends Component {
       messageOffset,
     } = this.state;
 
+    if (!messages[activeChannelId]) {
+      return;
+    }
+
     const jumpbackButton = document.getElementById('jumpback_button');
 
     if (this.scroller) {
diff --git a/app/javascript/chat/message.jsx b/app/javascript/chat/message.jsx
index 0813ad722..02a5d8afe 100644
--- a/app/javascript/chat/message.jsx
+++ b/app/javascript/chat/message.jsx
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ const Message = ({
       >
         <div className="message__info__actions">
           <div className="message__info">
-            <span className="chatmessagebody__username" style={spanStyle}>
+            <span className="chatmessagebody__username not-dark-theme-text-compatible" style={spanStyle}>
               <a
                 className="chatmessagebody__username--link"
                 href={`/${user}`}
diff --git a/spec/requests/chat_channels_spec.rb b/spec/requests/chat_channels_spec.rb
index 270e41acf..5c6b68e66 100644
--- a/spec/requests/chat_channels_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/chat_channels_spec.rb
@@ -50,6 +50,26 @@ RSpec.describe "ChatChannels", type: :request do
     end
   end
 
+  describe "get /chat_channels?state=unopened_ids" do
+    it "returns unopened chat channel ids" do
+      direct_channel.add_users [user]
+      user.chat_channel_memberships.each { |m| m.update(has_unopened_messages: true) }
+      sign_in user
+      get "/chat_channels?state=unopened_ids"
+      expect(response.body).to include(direct_channel.id.to_s)
+      expect(response.body).to include("unopened_ids")
+    end
+
+    it "does not return chat channel ids if not signed in" do
+      direct_channel.add_users [user]
+      user.chat_channel_memberships.each { |m| m.update(has_unopened_messages: true) }
+      sign_out user
+      expect do
+        get "/chat_channels?state=unopened_ids"
+      end.to raise_error(Pundit::NotAuthorizedError)
+    end
+  end
+
   describe "get /chat_channels?state=pending" do
     it "returns pending channels" do
       ChatChannelMembership.create(chat_channel_id: invite_channel.id, user_id: user.id, status: "pending")