diff --git a/app/controllers/notifications_controller.rb b/app/controllers/notifications_controller.rb
index c27df96c7..deeb59e1b 100644
--- a/app/controllers/notifications_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/notifications_controller.rb
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ class NotificationsController < VannaController
   def update(opts=params)
     note = Notification.where(:recipient_id => current_user.id, :id => opts[:id]).first
     if note
-      note.update_attributes(:unread => false)
-      {}
+      note.update_attributes(:unread => opts[:unread] == "true" )
+      { :guid => note.id, :unread => note.unread }
     else
       Response.new :status => 404
     end
diff --git a/app/views/notifications/index.html.haml b/app/views/notifications/index.html.haml
index 88a098ab2..0935dea0e 100644
--- a/app/views/notifications/index.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/notifications/index.html.haml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 
         .span-8.notifications_for_day
           - notes.each do |note|
-            .stream_element{:data=>{:guid => note.id}, :class => "#{note.unread ? 'unread' : ''}"}
+            .stream_element{:data=>{:guid => note.id}, :class => "#{note.unread ? 'unread' : 'read'}"}
               - if note.type == "Notifications::StartedSharing" && contact = current_user.contact_for(note[:target])
                 .right
                   = aspect_membership_dropdown(contact, note[:target], 'left')
diff --git a/app/views/notifications/index.mobile.haml b/app/views/notifications/index.mobile.haml
index 18ea33fef..3f27eb8bc 100644
--- a/app/views/notifications/index.mobile.haml
+++ b/app/views/notifications/index.mobile.haml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
         = day
       %ul.notifications_for_day
         - notes.each do |note|
-          .stream_element{:data=>{:guid => note.id}, :class => "#{note.unread ? 'unread' : ''}"}
+          .stream_element{:data=>{:guid => note.id}, :class => "#{note.unread ? 'unread' : 'read'}"}
 
             = person_image_link(note.actors.last)
 
diff --git a/public/javascripts/widgets/notifications-badge.js b/public/javascripts/widgets/notifications-badge.js
index e64d5da39..f8499ffce 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 />")
@@ -73,16 +74,18 @@
             .appendTo(self.dropdownNotifications);
 
           notificationElement.find("abbr.timeago").timeago();
+          notificationElement.click(Diaspora.page.header.notifications.messageClick);
 
           if(notification.unread) {
             notificationElement.addClass("unread");
             $.ajax({
               url: "/notifications/" + notification.id,
               type: "PUT",
-              success: function() {
-                Diaspora.page.header.notifications.decrementCount();
-              }
+              data: { unread: false },
+              success: Diaspora.page.header.notifications.clickSuccess
             });
+          } else {
+            notificationElement.addClass("read");
           }
         });
       });
diff --git a/public/javascripts/widgets/notifications.js b/public/javascripts/widgets/notifications.js
index fff80b404..e16136d2a 100644
--- a/public/javascripts/widgets/notifications.js
+++ b/public/javascripts/widgets/notifications.js
@@ -15,14 +15,7 @@
         notificationArea: notificationArea
       });
 
-      $(".stream_element.unread").live("mousedown", function() {
-        self.decrementCount();
-
-        $.ajax({
-          url: "notifications/" + $(this).removeClass("unread").data("guid"),
-          type: "PUT"
-        });
-      });
+      $(".stream_element.unread,.stream_element.read").live("mousedown", self.messageClick);
 
       $("a.more").live("click", function(evt) {
         evt.preventDefault();
@@ -31,7 +24,33 @@
           .removeClass("hidden");
       });
     });
-    
+    this.messageClick = function() {
+      $.ajax({
+        url: "notifications/" + $(this).data("guid"),
+        data: { unread: $(this).hasClass("read") },
+        type: "PUT",
+        success: self.clickSuccess
+      });
+    };
+    this.clickSuccess = function( data ) {
+      var jsList = jQuery.parseJSON(data);
+      var itemID = jsList["guid"]
+      var isUnread = jsList["unread"]
+      if ( isUnread ) {
+        self.incrementCount();
+      }else{
+        self.decrementCount();
+      }
+      $('.read,.unread').each(function(index) {
+        if ( $(this).data("guid") == itemID ) {
+          if ( isUnread ) {
+            $(this).removeClass("read").addClass( "unread" )
+          } else {
+            $(this).removeClass("unread").addClass( "read" )
+          }
+        }
+      });
+    };
     this.showNotification = function(notification) {
       $(notification.html).prependTo(this.notificationArea)
 				.fadeIn(200)
@@ -50,12 +69,15 @@
 
       if(self.badge.text() !== "") {
 				self.badge.text(self.count);
+        $( ".notification_count" ).text(self.count);
 
 				if(self.count === 0) {
 	  			self.badge.addClass("hidden");
+          $( ".notification_count" ).removeClass("unread");
 				}
 				else if(self.count === 1) {
 	  			self.badge.removeClass("hidden");
+          $( ".notification_count" ).addClass("unread");
 				}
       }
     };
diff --git a/public/stylesheets/sass/application.sass b/public/stylesheets/sass/application.sass
index 055205445..b7e83bde6 100644
--- a/public/stylesheets/sass/application.sass
+++ b/public/stylesheets/sass/application.sass
@@ -3138,6 +3138,8 @@ a.toggle_selector
   .notification_element
     :padding 10px
     :min-height 30px
+    &:hover
+      :background-color #FAFAFA
 
     > img
       :height 30px
diff --git a/spec/controllers/notifications_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/notifications_controller_spec.rb
index 3f1e64b1f..d7dce0014 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/notifications_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/notifications_controller_spec.rb
@@ -14,11 +14,32 @@ describe NotificationsController do
   end
 
   describe '#update' do
-    it 'marks a notification as read' do
+    it 'marks a notification as read if it gets no other information' do
       note = Factory(:notification, :recipient => @user)
       @controller.update :id => note.id
       Notification.first.unread.should == false
     end
+    it 'marks a notification as read if it is told to' do
+      note = Factory(:notification, :recipient => @user)
+      @controller.update :id => note.id, :unread => "false"
+      Notification.first.unread.should == false
+    end
+    it 'marks a notification as unread if it is told to' do
+      note = Factory(:notification, :recipient => @user)
+      @controller.update :id => note.id, :unread => "true"
+      Notification.first.unread.should == true
+    end
+
+    it 'should return the item guid' do
+      note = Factory(:notification, :recipient => @user)
+      answer = @controller.update :id => note.id
+      answer[:guid].should == note.id
+    end
+    it 'should return the unread state' do
+      note = Factory(:notification, :recipient => @user)
+      answer = @controller.update :id => note.id, :unread => "true"
+      answer[:unread].should == true
+    end
 
     it 'only lets you read your own notifications' do
       user2 = bob
diff --git a/spec/javascripts/widgets/notifications-spec.js b/spec/javascripts/widgets/notifications-spec.js
index cbb962180..f9ae7ee80 100644
--- a/spec/javascripts/widgets/notifications-spec.js
+++ b/spec/javascripts/widgets/notifications-spec.js
@@ -3,13 +3,44 @@
  *   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"));
 
     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() {
+      $(".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( $('.stream_element#2')).toHaveClass("read");
+    });
+    it("changes the css to an unread cell", function() {
+      $(".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( $('.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() {