diff --git a/program/steps/mail/func.inc b/program/steps/mail/func.inc
index 5e53a75e5..d1850d6cf 100644
--- a/program/steps/mail/func.inc
+++ b/program/steps/mail/func.inc
@@ -551,12 +551,16 @@ function rcmail_get_mailbox_name_text()
 }
 
 
-function rcmail_send_unread_count($mbox_name, $force=false)
+function rcmail_send_unread_count($mbox_name, $force=false, $count=null)
 {
   global $RCMAIL;
 
   $old_unseen = $_SESSION['unseen_count'][$mbox_name];
-  $unseen = $RCMAIL->imap->messagecount($mbox_name, 'UNSEEN', $force);
+
+  if ($count === null)
+    $unseen = $RCMAIL->imap->messagecount($mbox_name, 'UNSEEN', $force);
+  else
+    $unseen = $count;
 
   if ($unseen != $old_unseen || ($mbox_name == 'INBOX'))
     $RCMAIL->output->command('set_unread_count', $mbox_name, $unseen, ($mbox_name == 'INBOX'));
diff --git a/program/steps/mail/list.inc b/program/steps/mail/list.inc
index 85e71a1f7..cf3855169 100644
--- a/program/steps/mail/list.inc
+++ b/program/steps/mail/list.inc
@@ -70,8 +70,13 @@ if ($count = $IMAP->messagecount($mbox_name, $IMAP->threading ? 'THREADS' : 'ALL
 if (!empty($_REQUEST['_search']) && isset($_SESSION['search'][$_REQUEST['_search']]))
   $_SESSION['search'][$_REQUEST['_search']] = $IMAP->get_search_set();
 
+// empty result? we'll skip UNSEEN counting in rcmail_send_unread_count()
+if (empty($search_request) && empty($a_headers)) {
+    $unseen = 0;
+}
+
 // update mailboxlist
-rcmail_send_unread_count($mbox_name, !empty($_REQUEST['_refresh']));
+rcmail_send_unread_count($mbox_name, !empty($_REQUEST['_refresh']), $unseen);
 
 // update message count display
 $pages = ceil($count/$IMAP->page_size);