diff --git a/public/js/startup.js b/public/js/startup.js
index c845ab2..4efc2a3 100644
--- a/public/js/startup.js
+++ b/public/js/startup.js
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@
 					}
 				}
 				
-				show_in_circle('unread_messages', r.message.unread_messages.length);
+				show_in_circle('unread_messages', r.message.unread_messages);
 				show_in_circle('open_support_tickets', r.message.open_support_tickets);
 				show_in_circle('things_todo', r.message.things_todo);
 				show_in_circle('todays_events', r.message.todays_events);
diff --git a/public/js/toolbar.js b/public/js/toolbar.js
index a04c225..6b2ef9a 100644
--- a/public/js/toolbar.js
+++ b/public/js/toolbar.js
@@ -89,16 +89,9 @@
 	var navbar_nc = $('.navbar-new-comments');
 	if(wn.container.page && wn.container.page.page_name=="messages") 
 		return;
-	if(new_comments && new_comments.length>0) {
-		navbar_nc.text(new_comments.length);
+	if(new_comments) {
+		navbar_nc.text(new_comments);
 		navbar_nc.addClass('navbar-new-comments-true')
-		$.each(new_comments, function(i, v) {
-			var msg = 'New Message: ' + (v[1].length<=100 ? v[1] : (v[1].substr(0, 100) + "..."));
-			var id = v[0].replace('/', '-');
-			if(!$('#' + id)[0]) { 
-				show_alert(msg).attr("id", id);
-			}
-		});
 	} else {
 		navbar_nc.removeClass('navbar-new-comments-true');
 		navbar_nc.text(0);
diff --git a/startup/startup.py b/startup/startup.py
index b761225..828239e 100644
--- a/startup/startup.py
+++ b/startup/startup.py
@@ -20,12 +20,12 @@
 def get_unread_messages():
 	"returns unread (docstatus-0 messages for a user)"
 	return webnotes.conn.sql("""\
-		SELECT name, comment
+		SELECT count(*)
 		FROM `tabComment`
 		WHERE comment_doctype IN ('My Company', 'Message')
 		AND comment_docname = %s
 		AND ifnull(docstatus,0)=0
-		""", webnotes.user.name, as_list=1)
+		""", webnotes.user.name)[0][0]
 
 def get_open_support_tickets():
 	"""Returns a count of open support tickets"""
diff --git a/utilities/page/messages/messages.js b/utilities/page/messages/messages.js
index 6d13155..625fe5b 100644
--- a/utilities/page/messages/messages.js
+++ b/utilities/page/messages/messages.js
@@ -33,12 +33,14 @@
 	<div class="all-messages"></div>').appendTo($(wrapper).find('.layout-main-section'));
 	
 	erpnext.messages = new erpnext.Messages(wrapper);
+	erpnext.toolbar.set_new_comments(0);
 }
 
 $(wn.pages.messages).bind('show', function() {
 	// remove alerts
 	$('#alert-container .alert').remove();
 	
+	erpnext.toolbar.set_new_comments(0);	
 	erpnext.messages.show();
 	setTimeout("erpnext.messages.refresh()", 17000);
 })