diff --git a/src/app/(dashboard)/inbox/page.tsx b/src/app/(dashboard)/inbox/page.tsx
index 3d8bb1e..f40470c 100644
--- a/src/app/(dashboard)/inbox/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/(dashboard)/inbox/page.tsx
@@ -235,8 +235,22 @@ export default function InboxPage() {
 
       if (event.eventType === "UPDATE") {
         if (knownConvIdsRef.current.has(conv.id)) {
+          // If this UPDATE is for the conv the user is currently viewing,
+          // suppress the incoming unread_count — the user is reading it
+          // RIGHT NOW, so any positive value would just flicker the badge
+          // back on for the ~100ms it takes for the reset effect's server
+          // UPDATE to round-trip. Non-active convs take the value as-is.
+          const isActive = activeConversation?.id === conv.id;
           setConversations((prev) =>
-            prev.map((c) => (c.id === conv.id ? { ...c, ...conv } : c)),
+            prev.map((c) =>
+              c.id === conv.id
+                ? {
+                    ...c,
+                    ...conv,
+                    unread_count: isActive ? 0 : conv.unread_count,
+                  }
+                : c,
+            ),
           );
         } else {
           // UPDATE arrived before the INSERT (or after a missed INSERT)
@@ -339,6 +353,17 @@ export default function InboxPage() {
           setActiveConversation(match);
           setActiveContact(match.contact ?? null);
           setMessages([]);
+          // Mirror the optimistic unread reset that handleSelectConversation
+          // does — the user just deep-linked into this conv, treat that the
+          // same as a click. Leaves activeConversation.unread_count alone so
+          // the MessageThread reset effect still fires the server UPDATE.
+          if (match.unread_count > 0) {
+            setConversations((prev) =>
+              prev.map((c) =>
+                c.id === match.id ? { ...c, unread_count: 0 } : c,
+              ),
+            );
+          }
         }
       }
     },
@@ -355,6 +380,22 @@ export default function InboxPage() {
       setActiveConversation(conv);
       setActiveContact(conv.contact ?? null);
       setMessages([]);
+      // Optimistically clear the unread badge for this conv. The
+      // server-side reset is fired by the unread-reset effect inside
+      // MessageThread (which reads activeConversation.unread_count, not
+      // the list copy — so we deliberately leave that intact below to
+      // keep the effect firing), and the realtime UPDATE that comes
+      // back will sync to 0 again as a no-op. Zeroing the list copy
+      // here means the user sees the badge disappear the instant they
+      // click instead of waiting for the round-trip — and it persists
+      // even if the realtime UPDATE is dropped.
+      setConversations((prev) =>
+        prev.map((c) =>
+          c.id === conv.id && c.unread_count > 0
+            ? { ...c, unread_count: 0 }
+            : c,
+        ),
+      );
       // Record the selection on the deep-link ref BEFORE we change the
       // URL. The router.replace below flips `deepLinkConvId`, which can
       // in turn cause ConversationList to refetch and eventually call