diff --git a/classes/rpc.php b/classes/rpc.php
index 41325d62a..d40d5ab6a 100755
--- a/classes/rpc.php
+++ b/classes/rpc.php
@@ -271,17 +271,14 @@ class RPC extends Handler_Protected {
 	}
 
 	function getAllCounters() {
-		$last_article_id = (int) clean($_REQUEST["last_article_id"]);
+		@$seq = (int) $_REQUEST['seq'];
 
-		$reply = array();
-
-		if (!empty($_REQUEST['seq'])) $reply['seq'] = (int) $_REQUEST['seq'];
-
-		if ($last_article_id != Article::getLastArticleId()) {
-			$reply['counters'] = Counters::getAllCounters();
-		}
+		$reply = [
+			'counters' => Counters::getAllCounters()
+		];
 
-		$reply['runtime-info'] = make_runtime_info();
+		if ($seq % 2 == 0)
+			$reply['runtime-info'] = make_runtime_info();
 
 		print json_encode($reply);
 	}
diff --git a/include/functions.php b/include/functions.php
index f44d91a15..d5095b071 100755
--- a/include/functions.php
+++ b/include/functions.php
@@ -1305,10 +1305,7 @@
 
 		$data["max_feed_id"] = (int) $max_feed_id;
 		$data["num_feeds"] = (int) $num_feeds;
-
-		$data['last_article_id'] = Article::getLastArticleId();
 		$data['cdm_expanded'] = get_pref('CDM_EXPANDED');
-
 		$data["labels"] = Labels::get_all_labels($_SESSION["uid"]);
 
 		if (LOG_DESTINATION == 'sql' && $_SESSION['access_level'] >= 10) {
diff --git a/js/AppBase.js b/js/AppBase.js
index 6fc4f8bff..a9efbfecb 100644
--- a/js/AppBase.js
+++ b/js/AppBase.js
@@ -218,7 +218,6 @@ define(["dojo/_base/declare"], function (declare) {
 
 					if (message == "UPDATE_COUNTERS") {
 						console.log("need to refresh counters...");
-						App.setInitParam("last_article_id", -1);
 						Feeds.requestCounters(true);
 					}
 
diff --git a/js/Feeds.js b/js/Feeds.js
index 94b72c731..44d48d6c7 100644
--- a/js/Feeds.js
+++ b/js/Feeds.js
@@ -120,27 +120,10 @@ define(["dojo/_base/declare"], function (declare) {
 			this._search_query = "";
 			this.reloadCurrent();
 		},
-		requestCounters: function(force) {
-			const date = new Date();
-			const timestamp = Math.round(date.getTime() / 1000);
-
-			if (force || timestamp - this.counters_last_request > 5) {
-				console.log("scheduling request of counters...");
-
-				this.counters_last_request = timestamp;
-
-				let query = {op: "rpc", method: "getAllCounters", seq: App.next_seq()};
-
-				if (!force)
-					query.last_article_id = App.getInitParam("last_article_id");
-
-				xhrPost("backend.php", query, (transport) => {
-					App.handleRpcJson(transport);
-				});
-
-			} else {
-				console.log("request_counters: rate limit reached: " + (timestamp - this.counters_last_request));
-			}
+		requestCounters: function() {
+			xhrPost("backend.php", {op: "rpc", method: "getAllCounters", seq: App.next_seq()}, (transport) => {
+				App.handleRpcJson(transport);
+			});
 		},
 		reload: function() {
 			try {