diff --git a/jam-ui/src/components/client/JKSessionScreen.js b/jam-ui/src/components/client/JKSessionScreen.js
index 4879bd746..c9248a173 100644
--- a/jam-ui/src/components/client/JKSessionScreen.js
+++ b/jam-ui/src/components/client/JKSessionScreen.js
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ import {
   selectBackingTrackData,
   selectJamTrackData
 } from '../../store/features/activeSessionSlice';
-import { addMessageFromWebSocket, uploadAttachment, selectIsUploading, selectUploadError, selectUploadFileName, selectUploadStatus, clearUploadError } from '../../store/features/sessionChatSlice';
+import { addMessageFromWebSocket, uploadAttachment, selectIsUploading, selectUploadError, selectUploadFileName, selectUploadStatus, clearUploadError, fetchChatHistory } from '../../store/features/sessionChatSlice';
 import { validateFile } from '../../services/attachmentValidation';
 
 import { CLIENT_ROLE, RECORD_TYPE_AUDIO, RECORD_TYPE_BOTH } from '../../helpers/globals';
@@ -471,6 +471,19 @@ const JKSessionScreen = () => {
     // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
   }, [hasJoined, sessionId, mixersReady, dispatch])
 
+  // Fetch chat history when session joins to populate unread badge
+  // This ensures unread count persists across page reloads
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!hasJoined || !sessionId) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    dispatch(fetchChatHistory({
+      channel: sessionId,
+      sessionId: sessionId
+    }));
+  }, [hasJoined, sessionId, dispatch]);
+
   const joinSession = async () => {
 
     await jamClient.SetVURefreshRate(150);
diff --git a/jam-ui/src/store/features/sessionChatSlice.js b/jam-ui/src/store/features/sessionChatSlice.js
index a71142e11..6090d7ab9 100644
--- a/jam-ui/src/store/features/sessionChatSlice.js
+++ b/jam-ui/src/store/features/sessionChatSlice.js
@@ -372,6 +372,24 @@ const sessionChatSlice = createSlice({
 
         state.fetchStatus[channel] = 'succeeded';
         state.nextCursors[channel] = next;
+
+        // Calculate unread count based on lastReadAt (for page reload persistence)
+        // Only set unread count if chat window is NOT open for this channel
+        // (if window is open, user is viewing messages so they're not "unread")
+        if (!state.isWindowOpen || state.activeChannel !== channel) {
+          const lastRead = state.lastReadAt[channel];
+          if (lastRead) {
+            // Count messages newer than lastReadAt
+            const lastReadDate = new Date(lastRead);
+            const unreadCount = state.messagesByChannel[channel].filter(
+              m => new Date(m.createdAt) > lastReadDate
+            ).length;
+            state.unreadCounts[channel] = unreadCount;
+          } else {
+            // No lastReadAt means user never opened chat - all messages are unread
+            state.unreadCounts[channel] = state.messagesByChannel[channel].length;
+          }
+        }
       })
       // fetchChatHistory rejected
       .addCase(fetchChatHistory.rejected, (state, action) => {