diff --git a/src/Nav/MessageMenu.js b/src/Nav/MessageMenu.js
index f27afc12a..a72e042d6 100644
--- a/src/Nav/MessageMenu.js
+++ b/src/Nav/MessageMenu.js
@@ -6,7 +6,12 @@ import { useTranslation } from 'react-i18next';
 import { ReactComponent as ChatIcon } from '../common/images/icons/chat-icon.svg';
 
 import { allSubjects } from '../selectors/subjects';
-import { fetchAllMessages, fetchMessagesSuccess, updateMessageFromRealtime } from '../ducks/messaging';
+import {
+  fetchAllMessages,
+  fetchMessagesSuccess,
+  fetchUnreadMessagesCount,
+  updateMessageFromRealtime, updateUnreadMessagesCount
+} from '../ducks/messaging';
 import MessageContext from '../InReach/context';
 
 import Badge from '../Badge';
@@ -19,6 +24,7 @@ import styles from './styles.module.scss';
 
 const RADIO_MESSAGE_REALTIME = 'radio_message';
 const SLEEP_DETECTION_INTERVAL = 60000;
+const MENU_MESSAGES_PAGE_SIZE = 100;
 
 const MessageMenu = () => {
   const { t } = useTranslation('top-bar', { keyPrefix: 'nav.messageMenu' });
@@ -29,23 +35,31 @@ const MessageMenu = () => {
 
   const [selectedSubject, setSelectedSubject] = useState(null);
 
-  const unreads = state.results.filter((message) => !message.read);
-  const badgeCount = unreads.length > 9 ? '9+' : unreads.length;
+  const { unreadMessagesCount } = state;
+  const badgeCount = unreadMessagesCount > 9 ? '9+' : unreadMessagesCount;
 
   const canShowMessageMenu = useMemo(
     () => !!state.results.length || !!subjects.filter((subject) => !!subject?.messaging?.length).length,
     [state.results.length, subjects]
   );
 
+  const checkForUnreadMessages = useCallback(() => {
+    fetchUnreadMessagesCount()
+      .then(({ data: { data: { count } } }) => dispatch(updateUnreadMessagesCount(count)))
+      .catch((error) => console.warn('error checking for unread messages', { error }));
+  }, [dispatch]);
+
   const fetchMenuMessages = useCallback(() => {
-    fetchAllMessages({ page_size: 100 })
-      .then((results = []) => dispatch(fetchMessagesSuccess({ results })))
+    fetchAllMessages({ page_size: MENU_MESSAGES_PAGE_SIZE })
+      .then((results = []) => {
+        dispatch(fetchMessagesSuccess({ results }));
+      })
       .catch((error) => console.warn('error fetching messages', { error }));
   }, [dispatch]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    fetchMenuMessages();
-  }, [dispatch, fetchMenuMessages]);
+    checkForUnreadMessages();
+  }, [checkForUnreadMessages, state.results]);
 
   return canShowMessageMenu ? <Dropdown
       align="end"
@@ -55,11 +69,12 @@ const MessageMenu = () => {
     <Dropdown.Toggle aria-label={t('messageMenuToggleLabel')} title={t('messageMenuToggleTitle')}>
       <ChatIcon className={styles.messageIcon} />
 
-      {!!unreads.length && <Badge className={styles.badge} count={badgeCount} />}
+      {!!unreadMessagesCount && <Badge className={styles.badge} count={badgeCount} />}
     </Dropdown.Toggle>
 
     <Dropdown.Menu>
-      <MessagesModal onSelectSubject={(subject) => setSelectedSubject(subject)} selectedSubject={selectedSubject} />
+      <MessagesModal onSelectSubject={(subject) => setSelectedSubject(subject)}
+                     selectedSubject={selectedSubject} />
     </Dropdown.Menu>
 
     <StateManagedSocketConsumer
diff --git a/src/ducks/messaging.js b/src/ducks/messaging.js
index 6f23ac86d..14c312ce4 100644
--- a/src/ducks/messaging.js
+++ b/src/ducks/messaging.js
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import { objectToParamString, recursivePaginatedQuery } from '../utils/query';
 import { messageIsValidForDisplay } from '../utils/messaging';
 
 const FETCH_MESSAGES_SUCCESS = 'FETCH_MESSAGES_SUCCESS';
+const UPDATE_UNREAD_MESSAGES_COUNT = 'UPDATE_UNREAD_MESSAGES_COUNT';
 const REMOVE_MESSAGE = 'REMOVE_MESSAGE';
 const SOCKET_MESSAGE_UPDATE = 'SOCKET_MESSAGE_UPDATE';
 
@@ -22,7 +23,6 @@ export const fetchMessagesSuccess = (payload, refresh = false) => ({
   refresh,
 });
 
-
 export const updateMessageFromRealtime = payload => ({
   type: SOCKET_MESSAGE_UPDATE,
   payload,
@@ -33,8 +33,15 @@ export const removeMessageById = id => ({
   payload: id,
 });
 
+export const updateUnreadMessagesCount = (payload) => ({
+  type: UPDATE_UNREAD_MESSAGES_COUNT,
+  payload,
+});
+
 const { get, post } = axios;
 
+export const fetchUnreadMessagesCount = () => axios.get(`${MESSAGING_API_URL}?include_additional_data=false&page_size=0&read=false`);
+
 export const fetchMessages = (params = {}) => {
   const paramString = objectToParamString(
     { include_additional_data: false, page_size: 25, ...params },
@@ -67,6 +74,7 @@ export const INITIAL_MESSAGE_LIST_STATE = {
   next: null,
   previous: null,
   count: 0,
+  unreadMessagesCount: 0,
 };
 export const messageListReducer = (state = INITIAL_MESSAGE_LIST_STATE, action) => {
   const { refresh, type, payload } = action;
@@ -95,6 +103,13 @@ export const messageListReducer = (state = INITIAL_MESSAGE_LIST_STATE, action) =
     };
   }
 
+  if (type === UPDATE_UNREAD_MESSAGES_COUNT) {
+    return {
+      ...state,
+      unreadMessagesCount: payload,
+    };
+  }
+
   if (type === REMOVE_MESSAGE) {
     return {
       ...state,