diff --git a/apps/ssb.json b/apps/ssb.json
index 8725a95e..f2cfad9a 100644
--- a/apps/ssb.json
+++ b/apps/ssb.json
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 {
 	"type": "tildefriends-app",
 	"emoji": "🦀",
-	"previous": "&GMCcwEOE3VorFHqMCRi6aS1Ch7u1B7hzW6GH35RaaUI=.sha256"
+	"previous": "&i6mkfmh4sW8PpILznWL8VxDzI3MX6V5OJWDs47Qxias=.sha256"
 }
diff --git a/apps/ssb/tf-message.js b/apps/ssb/tf-message.js
index 80974385..6911d565 100644
--- a/apps/ssb/tf-message.js
+++ b/apps/ssb/tf-message.js
@@ -414,7 +414,7 @@ class TfMessageElement extends LitElement {
 	class_background() {
 		return this.message?.decrypted
 			? 'w3-pale-red'
-			: this.message?.rowid >= this.channel_unread
+			: (this.allow_unread() && this.message?.rowid >= this.channel_unread)
 				? 'w3-theme-d2'
 				: 'w3-theme-d4';
 	}
@@ -631,8 +631,15 @@ class TfMessageElement extends LitElement {
 		return result;
 	}
 
+	allow_unread() {
+		return
+			!this.channel.startsWith('@') &&
+			!this.channel.startsWith('%');
+	}
+
 	render_unread_icon() {
-		return this.message?.rowid >= this.channel_unread ? html`✉️` : undefined;
+		return this.allow_unread() &&
+				this.message?.rowid >= this.channel_unread ? html`✉️` : undefined;
 	}
 
 	render() {