diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/widgets/user-notifications.js.es6 b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/widgets/user-notifications.js.es6
index 5e574553907..ee23fa894f0 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/widgets/user-notifications.js.es6
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/widgets/user-notifications.js.es6
@@ -34,9 +34,10 @@ export default createWidget("user-notifications", {
       limit = 40;
     }
 
+    const silent = this.currentUser.get("enforcedSecondFactor");
     const stale = this.store.findStale(
       "notification",
-      { recent: true, limit },
+      { recent: true, silent, limit },
       { cacheKey: "recent-notifications" }
     );
 
@@ -59,7 +60,9 @@ export default createWidget("user-notifications", {
     stale
       .refresh()
       .then(notifications => {
-        this.currentUser.set("unread_notifications", 0);
+        if (!silent) {
+          this.currentUser.set("unread_notifications", 0);
+        }
         state.notifications = notifications;
       })
       .catch(() => {
diff --git a/config/locales/client.en.yml b/config/locales/client.en.yml
index 0e5285ff863..41049f3e4a7 100644
--- a/config/locales/client.en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/client.en.yml
@@ -803,7 +803,7 @@ en:
         label: "Code"
         rate_limit: "Please wait before trying another authentication code."
         enable_description: |
-          Scan this QR code in a supported app (<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=authenticator+apps+for+android" target="_blank">Android</a> – <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=authenticator+apps+for+ios" target="_blank">iOS</a> and enter your authentication code.
+          Scan this QR code in a supported app (<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=authenticator+apps+for+android" target="_blank">Android</a> – <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=authenticator+apps+for+ios" target="_blank">iOS</a>) and enter your authentication code.
         disable_description: "Please enter the authentication code from your app"
         show_key_description: "Enter manually"
         extended_description: |