diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/topic_controller.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/topic_controller.js
index 2ed6ccb6bb3..b629c37727f 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/topic_controller.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/topic_controller.js
@@ -550,20 +550,22 @@ Discourse.TopicController = Discourse.ObjectController.extend(Discourse.Selected
     }
   }.observes('currentPost'),
 
-  sawObjects: function(posts) {
-    if (posts) {
-      var self = this,
-          lastReadPostNumber = this.get('last_read_post_number');
+  readPosts: function(topicId, postNumbers) {
+    var postStream = this.get('postStream');
 
-      posts.forEach(function(post) {
-        var postNumber = post.get('post_number');
-        if (postNumber > lastReadPostNumber) {
-          lastReadPostNumber = postNumber;
+    if(this.get('postStream.topic.id') === topicId){
+      _.each(postStream.get('posts'), function(post){
+        // optimise heavy loop
+        // TODO identity map for postNumber
+        if(_.include(postNumbers,post.post_number) && !post.read){
+          post.set("read", true);
         }
-        post.set('read', true);
       });
-      self.set('last_read_post_number', lastReadPostNumber);
 
+      var max = _.max(postNumbers);
+      if(max > this.get('last_read_post_number')){
+        this.set('last_read_post_number', max);
+      }
     }
   },
 
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/lib/screen_track.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/lib/screen_track.js
index 91a6111f7b6..5cadfd76423 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/lib/screen_track.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/lib/screen_track.js
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ Discourse.ScreenTrack = Ember.Object.extend({
     this.reset();
   },
 
-  start: function(topicId) {
+  start: function(topicId, topicController) {
     var currentTopicId = this.get('topicId');
     if (currentTopicId && (currentTopicId !== topicId)) {
       this.tick();
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ Discourse.ScreenTrack = Ember.Object.extend({
     }
 
     this.set('topicId', topicId);
+    this.set('topicController', topicController);
   },
 
   stop: function() {
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ Discourse.ScreenTrack = Ember.Object.extend({
     this.flush();
     this.reset();
     this.set('topicId', null);
+    this.set('topicController', null);
     if (this.get('interval')) {
       clearInterval(this.get('interval'));
       this.set('interval', null);
@@ -87,7 +89,8 @@ Discourse.ScreenTrack = Ember.Object.extend({
     if (!Discourse.User.current()) return;
 
     var newTimings = {},
-        totalTimings = this.get('totalTimings');
+        totalTimings = this.get('totalTimings'),
+        self = this;
 
     _.each(this.get('timings'), function(timing) {
       if (!totalTimings[timing.postNumber])
@@ -126,6 +129,14 @@ Discourse.ScreenTrack = Ember.Object.extend({
         headers: {
           'X-SILENCE-LOGGER': 'true'
         }
+      }).then(function(){
+        var controller = self.get('topicController');
+        if(controller){
+          var postNumbers = Object.keys(newTimings).map(function(v){
+            return parseInt(v,10);
+          });
+          controller.readPosts(topicId, postNumbers);
+        }
       });
 
       this.set('topicTime', 0);
@@ -145,7 +156,16 @@ Discourse.ScreenTrack = Ember.Object.extend({
     var diff = new Date().getTime() - this.get('lastTick');
     this.set('lastFlush', this.get('lastFlush') + diff);
     this.set('lastTick', new Date().getTime());
-    if (this.get('lastFlush') > (Discourse.SiteSettings.flush_timings_secs * 1000)) {
+
+    var totalTimings = this.get('totalTimings'), timings = this.get('timings');
+    var nextFlush = Discourse.SiteSettings.flush_timings_secs * 1000;
+
+    // rush new post numbers
+    var rush = _.any(_.filter(timings, function(t){return t.time>0;}), function(t){
+      return !totalTimings[t.postNumber];
+    });
+
+    if (this.get('lastFlush') > nextFlush || rush) {
       this.flush();
     }
 
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/routes/topic_route.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/routes/topic_route.js
index 4a8336bddb1..5820c382f8e 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/routes/topic_route.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/routes/topic_route.js
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ Discourse.TopicRoute = Discourse.Route.extend({
     controller.subscribe();
 
     // We reset screen tracking every time a topic is entered
-    Discourse.ScreenTrack.current().start(model.get('id'));
+    Discourse.ScreenTrack.current().start(model.get('id'), controller);
   }
 
 });
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/post.js.handlebars b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/post.js.handlebars
index 1a9c0f985ad..faf30fd5e30 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/post.js.handlebars
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/post.js.handlebars
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@
             {{/if}}
           </div>
         {{/if}}
+        <div {{bind-attr class=":read-state read"}} title="{{i18n post.unread}}"><i class='fa fa-circle'></i></div>
       </div>
 
       <div {{bind-attr class=":select-posts controller.multiSelect::hidden"}}>
diff --git a/app/assets/stylesheets/desktop/topic-post.scss b/app/assets/stylesheets/desktop/topic-post.scss
index 1c184d379ba..4f291ab0e2d 100644
--- a/app/assets/stylesheets/desktop/topic-post.scss
+++ b/app/assets/stylesheets/desktop/topic-post.scss
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ h1 .topic-statuses .topic-status i {
 
 .reply-to-tab {
   position: absolute;
-  right: 350px;
+  right: 375px;
   z-index: 400;
   padding: 13px 6px 5px;
   border-top: 1px solid scale-color-diff();
@@ -1080,3 +1080,17 @@ span.highlighted {
 .username.new-user a {
   color: scale-color($primary, $lightness: 70%);
 }
+
+.read-state {
+  color: scale-color($tertiary, $lightness: 50%);
+  float: right;
+  margin-right: 10px;
+  margin-top: 1px;
+  font-size: 10px;
+}
+
+.read-state.read {
+  opacity: 0;
+  -webkit-transition: opacity 1s ease-out;
+  transition: opacity 1s ease-out;
+}
diff --git a/config/locales/client.en.yml b/config/locales/client.en.yml
index c35355cf448..8f3ff9cbe4c 100644
--- a/config/locales/client.en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/client.en.yml
@@ -940,6 +940,7 @@ en:
         other: "{{count}} posts hidden"
       more_links: "{{count}} more..."
 
+      unread: "Post is unread"
       has_replies:
         one: "Reply"
         other: "Replies"
diff --git a/lib/topic_view.rb b/lib/topic_view.rb
index 237c9eafe62..7c3b435749f 100644
--- a/lib/topic_view.rb
+++ b/lib/topic_view.rb
@@ -183,6 +183,7 @@ class TopicView
   end
 
   def read?(post_number)
+    return true unless @user
     read_posts_set.include?(post_number)
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/components/topic_view_spec.rb b/spec/components/topic_view_spec.rb
index 5d536973f80..836e61cb692 100644
--- a/spec/components/topic_view_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/components/topic_view_spec.rb
@@ -169,8 +169,8 @@ describe TopicView do
 
     context '.read?' do
       it 'tracks correctly' do
-        # anon has nothing
-        TopicView.new(topic.id).read?(1).should be_false
+        # anon is assumed to have read everything
+        TopicView.new(topic.id).read?(1).should be_true
 
         # random user has nothing
         topic_view.read?(1).should be_false
diff --git a/spec/models/site_setting_spec.rb b/spec/models/site_setting_spec.rb
index 1027a1052eb..e95ca790b51 100644
--- a/spec/models/site_setting_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/site_setting_spec.rb
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ describe SiteSetting do
   end
 
   describe "top_menu" do
-    before(:each) { SiteSetting.stubs(:top_menu).returns('one,-nope|two|three,-not|four,ignored|category/xyz') }
+    before(:each) { SiteSetting.top_menu = 'one,-nope|two|three,-not|four,ignored|category/xyz' }
 
     describe "items" do
       let(:items) { SiteSetting.top_menu_items }