diff --git a/client/js/templates/EntriesPage.jsx b/client/js/templates/EntriesPage.jsx
index 79a0ffdc3e..17e7c7d478 100644
--- a/client/js/templates/EntriesPage.jsx
+++ b/client/js/templates/EntriesPage.jsx
@@ -144,18 +144,13 @@ function reloadList({
  * @param {number} selected
  */
 function openSelectedArticle(selected) {
-    const link = document.querySelector(`.entry[data-entry-id="${selected}"] .entry-datetime`);
+    const link = document.querySelector(`.entry[data-entry-id="${selected}"] .entry-newwindow`);
     if (selfoss.config.openInBackgroundTab) {
         // In Chromium, this will just cause the tab to open in the foreground.
         // Appears to be disallowed by the pop-under prevention:
         // https://crbug.com/431335
         // https://crbug.com/487919
-        const event = new MouseEvent(
-            'click',
-            {
-                ctrlKey: true,
-            }
-        );
+        const event = new MouseEvent('click', { ctrlKey: true, bubbles: true});
         link.dispatchEvent(event);
     } else {
         // open item in new window
diff --git a/client/js/templates/Item.jsx b/client/js/templates/Item.jsx
index e268fc5ff4..e01aeecce9 100644
--- a/client/js/templates/Item.jsx
+++ b/client/js/templates/Item.jsx
@@ -46,10 +46,6 @@ function setupLightbox({
     }));
 }
 
-function stopPropagation(event) {
-    event.stopPropagation();
-}
-
 function lazyLoadImages(content) {
     content.querySelectorAll('img').forEach((img) => {
         img.setAttribute('src', img.getAttribute('data-selfoss-src'));
@@ -257,6 +253,8 @@ export default function Item({ currentTime, item, selected, expanded, setNavExpa
         [currentTime, item.datetime]
     );
 
+    const canWrite = useAllowedToWrite();
+
     const previouslyExpanded = usePreviousImmediate(expanded);
     const configuration = useContext(ConfigurationContext);
 
@@ -387,6 +385,17 @@ export default function Item({ currentTime, item, selected, expanded, setNavExpa
         [item]
     );
 
+    const externalLinkOnClick = useCallback(
+        (event) => {
+            event.stopPropagation();
+
+            if (canWrite) {
+                selfoss.entriesPage.markEntryRead(item.id, true);
+            }
+        },
+        [canWrite, item.id]
+    );
+
     const loadImagesOnClick = useCallback(
         (event) => loadImages({ event, setImagesLoaded, contentBlock }),
         []
@@ -411,8 +420,6 @@ export default function Item({ currentTime, item, selected, expanded, setNavExpa
         [item.source]
     );
 
-    const canWrite = useAllowedToWrite();
-
     const _ = useContext(LocalizationContext);
 
     const sharers = useSharers({ configuration, _ });
@@ -544,7 +551,7 @@ export default function Item({ currentTime, item, selected, expanded, setNavExpa
                                 target="_blank"
                                 rel="noreferrer"
                                 accessKey="o"
-                                onClick={stopPropagation}
+                                onClick={externalLinkOnClick}
                             >
                                 <FontAwesomeIcon icon={icons.openWindow} /> {_('open_window')}
                             </a>
@@ -599,7 +606,7 @@ export default function Item({ currentTime, item, selected, expanded, setNavExpa
                         target="_blank"
                         rel="noreferrer"
                         accessKey="o"
-                        onClick={stopPropagation}
+                        onClick={externalLinkOnClick}
                     >
                         <FontAwesomeIcon icon={icons.openWindow} /> {_('open_window')}
                     </a>