diff --git a/src/api/client/sync/v3.rs b/src/api/client/sync/v3.rs
index f79c3ded..cb7e78b6 100644
--- a/src/api/client/sync/v3.rs
+++ b/src/api/client/sync/v3.rs
@@ -812,6 +812,7 @@ async fn load_joined_room(
 			services
 				.pusher
 				.last_notification_read(sender_user, room_id)
+				.ok()
 		})
 		.into();
 
@@ -872,8 +873,9 @@ async fn load_joined_room(
 			.map(Into::into)
 	});
 
-	let send_notification_counts =
-		last_notification_read.is_none_or(|last_count| last_count.gt(&since));
+	let send_notification_counts = last_notification_read
+		.flatten()
+		.is_none_or(|last_count| last_count.gt(&since));
 
 	let notification_count: OptionFuture<_> = send_notification_counts
 		.then(|| {
diff --git a/src/api/client/sync/v5/selector.rs b/src/api/client/sync/v5/selector.rs
index 917d872b..3922e125 100644
--- a/src/api/client/sync/v5/selector.rs
+++ b/src/api/client/sync/v5/selector.rs
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ async fn matcher(
 			services
 				.pusher
 				.last_notification_read(sender_user, &room_id)
+				.unwrap_or_default()
 		})
 		.into();
 
diff --git a/src/service/pusher/notification.rs b/src/service/pusher/notification.rs
index 5cbb7c93..be16bc07 100644
--- a/src/service/pusher/notification.rs
+++ b/src/service/pusher/notification.rs
@@ -50,14 +50,13 @@ pub async fn highlight_count(&self, user_id: &UserId, room_id: &RoomId) -> u64 {
 
 #[implement(super::Service)]
 #[tracing::instrument(level = "debug", skip(self), ret(level = "trace"))]
-pub async fn last_notification_read(&self, user_id: &UserId, room_id: &RoomId) -> u64 {
+pub async fn last_notification_read(&self, user_id: &UserId, room_id: &RoomId) -> Result<u64> {
 	let key = (room_id, user_id);
 	self.db
 		.roomuserid_lastnotificationread
 		.qry(&key)
 		.await
 		.deserialized()
-		.unwrap_or(0)
 }
 
 #[implement(super::Service)]