diff --git a/public/javascripts/widgets/header.js b/public/javascripts/widgets/header.js
index 208c5cd84..10fd0d996 100644
--- a/public/javascripts/widgets/header.js
+++ b/public/javascripts/widgets/header.js
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@
 
     this.subscribe("widget/ready", function(evt, header) {
       self.notifications = self.instantiate("Notifications",
-        header.find("#notifications"),
-        header.find("#notification_badge .badge_count")
+        header.find("#notification_badge .badge_count"),
+        header.find(".notifications")
       );
 
       self.notificationsDropdown = self.instantiate("NotificationsDropdown",
diff --git a/public/javascripts/widgets/notifications-badge.js b/public/javascripts/widgets/notifications-badge.js
index e64d5da39..d69666fe3 100644
--- a/public/javascripts/widgets/notifications-badge.js
+++ b/public/javascripts/widgets/notifications-badge.js
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@
         $.each(notifications, function(index, notification) {
           var notificationElement = $("<div/>")
             .addClass("notification_element")
+            .data( "guid", notification.id )
             .html(notification.translation)
             .prepend($("<img/>", { src: notification.actors[0].avatar }))
             .append("<br />")
@@ -70,19 +71,15 @@
               "class": "timeago",
               "title": notification.created_at
             }))
+            .append('<a class="unread-setter">mark unread</a>')
             .appendTo(self.dropdownNotifications);
 
           notificationElement.find("abbr.timeago").timeago();
 
           if(notification.unread) {
-            notificationElement.addClass("unread");
-            $.ajax({
-              url: "/notifications/" + notification.id,
-              type: "PUT",
-              success: function() {
-                Diaspora.page.header.notifications.decrementCount();
-              }
-            });
+            Diaspora.page.header.notifications.setUpUnread( notificationElement );
+          }else{
+            Diaspora.page.header.notifications.setUpRead( notificationElement );
           }
         });
       });
diff --git a/public/javascripts/widgets/notifications.js b/public/javascripts/widgets/notifications.js
index fff80b404..ce59e0895 100644
--- a/public/javascripts/widgets/notifications.js
+++ b/public/javascripts/widgets/notifications.js
@@ -8,32 +8,99 @@
   var Notifications = function() {
     var self = this;
     
-    this.subscribe("widget/ready", function(evt, notificationArea, badge) {
+    this.subscribe("widget/ready", function(evt, badge, notificationMenu) {
       $.extend(self, {
         badge: badge,
         count: parseInt(badge.html()) || 0,
-        notificationArea: notificationArea
+        notificationArea: null,
+        notificationMenu: notificationMenu
       });
 
-      $(".stream_element.unread").live("mousedown", function() {
-        self.decrementCount();
-
-        $.ajax({
-          url: "notifications/" + $(this).removeClass("unread").data("guid"),
-          type: "PUT"
-        });
-      });
-
-      $("a.more").live("click", function(evt) {
+      $("a.more").click( function(evt) {
         evt.preventDefault();
         $(this).hide()
           .next(".hidden")
           .removeClass("hidden");
       });
     });
-    
+    this.setUpNotificationPage = function( contentArea ) {
+      self.notificationArea = contentArea;
+      contentArea.find(".unread,.read").each(function(index) {
+        if ( $(this).hasClass("unread") ) {
+          self.setUpUnread( $(this) );
+        } else {
+          self.setUpRead( $(this) );
+        }
+      });
+    }
+    this.unreadClick = function() {
+      $.ajax({
+        url: "/notifications/" + $(this).parent().data("guid"),
+        data: { set_unread: true },
+        type: "PUT",
+        success: self.clickSuccess
+      });
+    };
+    this.readClick = function() {
+      $.ajax({
+        url: "/notifications/" + $(this).data("guid"),
+        data: { set_unread: false },
+        type: "PUT",
+        success: self.clickSuccess
+      });
+    };
+    this.setUpUnread = function( an_obj ) {
+      an_obj.removeClass("read").addClass( "unread" );
+      an_obj.find('.unread-setter').hide();
+      an_obj.find('.unread-setter').unbind("click");
+      an_obj.unbind( "mouseenter mouseleave" );
+      an_obj.click(self.readClick);
+    }
+    this.setUpRead = function( an_obj ) {
+      an_obj.removeClass("unread").addClass( "read" );
+      an_obj.unbind( "click" );
+      an_obj.find(".unread-setter").click(Diaspora.page.header.notifications.unreadClick);
+      an_obj.hover(
+        function () {
+          $(this).find(".unread-setter").show();
+        },
+        function () {
+          $(this).find(".unread-setter").hide();
+        }
+      );
+    }
+    this.clickSuccess = function( data ) {
+      var jsList = jQuery.parseJSON(data);
+      var itemID = jsList["guid"]
+      var isUnread = jsList["unread"]
+      if ( isUnread ) {
+        self.incrementCount();
+      }else{
+        self.decrementCount();
+      }
+      self.notificationMenu.find('.read,.unread').each(function(index) {
+        if ( $(this).data("guid") == itemID ) {
+          if ( isUnread ) {
+            self.setUpUnread( $(this) )
+          } else {
+            self.setUpRead( $(this) )
+          }
+        }
+      });
+      if ( self.notificationArea ) {
+        self.notificationArea.find('.read,.unread').each(function(index) {
+          if ( $(this).data("guid") == itemID ) {
+            if ( isUnread ) {
+              self.setUpUnread( $(this) )
+            } else {
+              self.setUpRead( $(this) )
+            }
+          }
+        });
+      }
+    };
     this.showNotification = function(notification) {
-      $(notification.html).prependTo(this.notificationArea)
+      $(notification.html).prependTo(this.notificationMenu)
 				.fadeIn(200)
 				.delay(8000)
 				.fadeOut(200, function() {
@@ -50,13 +117,20 @@
 
       if(self.badge.text() !== "") {
 				self.badge.text(self.count);
+        if ( self.notificationArea ) {
+          self.notificationArea.find( ".notification_count" ).text(self.count);
 
-				if(self.count === 0) {
-	  			self.badge.addClass("hidden");
-				}
-				else if(self.count === 1) {
-	  			self.badge.removeClass("hidden");
-				}
+          if(self.count === 0) {
+            self.badge.addClass("hidden");
+            if ( self.notificationArea )
+              self.notificationArea.find( ".notification_count" ).removeClass("unread");
+          }
+          else if(self.count === 1) {
+            self.badge.removeClass("hidden");
+            if ( self.notificationArea )
+              self.notificationArea.find( ".notification_count" ).addClass("unread");
+          }
+        }
       }
     };
 
diff --git a/spec/javascripts/widgets/notifications-spec.js b/spec/javascripts/widgets/notifications-spec.js
index cbb962180..628bc413b 100644
--- a/spec/javascripts/widgets/notifications-spec.js
+++ b/spec/javascripts/widgets/notifications-spec.js
@@ -3,13 +3,46 @@
  *   the COPYRIGHT file.
  */
 describe("Diaspora.Widgets.Notifications", function() {
-  var changeNotificationCountSpy, notifications;
+  var changeNotificationCountSpy, notifications, incrementCountSpy, decrementCountSpy;
 
   beforeEach(function() {
     spec.loadFixture("aspects_index");
-    notifications = Diaspora.BaseWidget.instantiate("Notifications", $("#notifications"), $("#notification_badge .badge_count"));
+    this.view = new app.views.Header().render();
+
+    notifications = Diaspora.BaseWidget.instantiate("Notifications", this.view.$("#notification_badge .badge_count"), this.view.$(".notifications"));
 
     changeNotificationCountSpy = spyOn(notifications, "changeNotificationCount").andCallThrough();
+    incrementCountSpy = spyOn(notifications, "incrementCount").andCallThrough();
+    decrementCountSpy = spyOn(notifications, "decrementCount").andCallThrough();
+  });
+
+  describe("clickSuccess", function(){
+    it("changes the css to a read cell", function() {
+      this.view.$(".notifications").html(
+        '<div id="1" class="stream_element read" data-guid=1></div>' +
+        '<div id="2" class="stream_element unread" data-guid=2></div>'
+      );
+      notifications.clickSuccess(JSON.stringify({guid:2,unread:false}));
+      expect( this.view.$('.stream_element#2')).toHaveClass("read");
+    });
+    it("changes the css to an unread cell", function() {
+      this.view.$(".notifications").html(
+        '<div id="1" class="stream_element read" data-guid=1></div>' +
+        '<div id="2" class="stream_element unread" data-guid=2></div>'
+      );
+      notifications.clickSuccess(JSON.stringify({guid:1,unread:true}));
+      expect( this.view.$('.stream_element#1')).toHaveClass("unread");
+    });
+
+
+    it("calls Notifications.decrementCount on a read cell", function() {
+      notifications.clickSuccess(JSON.stringify({guid:1,unread:false}));
+      expect(notifications.decrementCount).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+    it("calls Notifications.incrementCount on a unread cell", function() {
+      notifications.clickSuccess(JSON.stringify({guid:1,unread:true}));
+      expect(notifications.incrementCount).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
   });
 
   describe("decrementCount", function() {
@@ -40,13 +73,13 @@ describe("Diaspora.Widgets.Notifications", function() {
 
   describe("showNotification", function() {
     it("prepends a div to div#notifications", function() {
-      expect($("#notifications div").length).toEqual(0);
+      expect(this.view.$(".notifications div").length).toEqual(1);
 
       notifications.showNotification({
-        html: '<div class="notification"></div>'
+        html: '<div class="notification_element"></div>'
       });
 
-      expect($("#notifications div").length).toEqual(1);
+      expect(this.view.$(".notifications div").length).toEqual(2);
     });
 
     it("only increments the notification count if specified to do so", function() {
@@ -61,4 +94,4 @@ describe("Diaspora.Widgets.Notifications", function() {
 
     });
   });
-});
+});
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/spec/models/notification_spec.rb b/spec/models/notification_spec.rb
index a619bb7ef..eb478784d 100644
--- a/spec/models/notification_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/notification_spec.rb
@@ -40,6 +40,21 @@ describe Notification do
     end
   end
 
+  describe 'set_read_state method' do
+    it "should set an unread notification to read" do
+      @note.unread = true
+      @note.set_read_state( true )
+      @note.unread.should == false
+    end
+    it "should set an read notification to unread" do
+      @note.unread = false
+      @note.set_read_state( false )
+      @note.unread.should == true
+    end
+
+  end
+
+
   describe '.concatenate_or_create' do
     it 'creates a new notificiation if the notification does not exist, or if it is unread' do
       @note.unread = false