diff --git a/data.c b/data.c
index d9816a0..d644eb3 100644
--- a/data.c
+++ b/data.c
@@ -2064,15 +2064,34 @@ xs_dict *notify_get(snac *snac, const char *id)
 }
 
 
-xs_list *notify_list(snac *snac, int new_only)
+int notify_new_num(snac *snac)
+/* counts the number of new notifications */
+{
+    xs *t = notify_check_time(snac, 0);
+    xs *spec = xs_fmt("%s/notify/" "*.json", snac->basedir);
+    xs *lst = xs_glob(spec, 1, 1);
+    int cnt = 0;
+
+    xs_list *p = lst;
+    xs_str *v;
+
+    while (xs_list_iter(&p, &v)) {
+        xs *id = xs_replace(v, ".json", "");
+
+        /* old? count no more */
+        if (strcmp(id, t) < 0)
+            break;
+
+        cnt++;
+    }
+
+    return cnt;
+}
+
+
+xs_list *notify_list(snac *snac)
 /* returns a list of notification ids, optionally only the new ones */
 {
-    xs *t = NULL;
-
-    /* if only new ones are requested, get the last time */
-    if (new_only)
-        t = notify_check_time(snac, 0);
-
     xs *spec     = xs_fmt("%s/notify/" "*.json", snac->basedir);
     xs *lst      = xs_glob(spec, 1, 1);
     xs_list *out = xs_list_new();
@@ -2082,10 +2101,6 @@ xs_list *notify_list(snac *snac, int new_only)
     while (xs_list_iter(&p, &v)) {
         xs *id = xs_replace(v, ".json", "");
 
-        /* old? */
-        if (t != NULL && strcmp(id, t) < 0)
-            continue;
-
         out = xs_list_append(out, id);
     }
 
diff --git a/html.c b/html.c
index f0cda81..85ec786 100644
--- a/html.c
+++ b/html.c
@@ -673,8 +673,7 @@ static xs_html *html_user_body(snac *user, int local)
                 xs_html_text(L("private"))));
     }
     else {
-        xs *n_list = notify_list(user, 1);
-        int n_len  = xs_list_len(n_list);
+        int n_len = notify_new_num(user);
         xs_html *notify_count = NULL;
 
         /* show the number of new notifications, if there are any */
@@ -2138,7 +2137,7 @@ xs_str *html_people(snac *user)
 
 xs_str *html_notifications(snac *user)
 {
-    xs *n_list = notify_list(user, 0);
+    xs *n_list = notify_list(user);
     xs *n_time = notify_check_time(user, 0);
 
     xs_html *body = html_user_body(user, 0);
diff --git a/mastoapi.c b/mastoapi.c
index efcdae8..f1af7ba 100644
--- a/mastoapi.c
+++ b/mastoapi.c
@@ -1542,7 +1542,7 @@ int mastoapi_get_handler(const xs_dict *req, const char *q_path,
     else
     if (strcmp(cmd, "/v1/notifications") == 0) { /** **/
         if (logged_in) {
-            xs *l      = notify_list(&snac1, 0);
+            xs *l      = notify_list(&snac1);
             xs *out    = xs_list_new();
             xs_list *p = l;
             xs_dict *v;
diff --git a/snac.h b/snac.h
index f6f7b0b..0190d12 100644
--- a/snac.h
+++ b/snac.h
@@ -187,7 +187,8 @@ xs_str *notify_check_time(snac *snac, int reset);
 void notify_add(snac *snac, const char *type, const char *utype,
                 const char *actor, const char *objid);
 xs_dict *notify_get(snac *snac, const char *id);
-xs_list *notify_list(snac *snac, int new_only);
+int notify_new_num(snac *snac);
+xs_list *notify_list(snac *snac);
 void notify_clear(snac *snac);
 
 void inbox_add(const char *inbox);