diff --git a/apps/tlon-web/src/components/Sidebar/ActivityIndicator.tsx b/apps/tlon-web/src/components/Sidebar/ActivityIndicator.tsx
index df462873c1..f650dfbba5 100644
--- a/apps/tlon-web/src/components/Sidebar/ActivityIndicator.tsx
+++ b/apps/tlon-web/src/components/Sidebar/ActivityIndicator.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import cn from 'classnames';
 
-import { useNotifications } from '@/notifications/useNotifications';
+import { useSourceActivity } from '@/state/activity';
 import { useCalmSetting } from '@/state/settings';
 
 import BellIcon from '../icons/BellIcon';
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ export default function ActivityIndicator({
 }
 
 export function ActivitySidebarItem() {
-  const { activity } = useNotifications();
+  const { activity } = useSourceActivity('base');
   const activeTab = useActiveTab();
 
   return (
diff --git a/apps/tlon-web/src/components/Sidebar/AppNav.tsx b/apps/tlon-web/src/components/Sidebar/AppNav.tsx
index e4c6d852e7..fa1f9d6f71 100644
--- a/apps/tlon-web/src/components/Sidebar/AppNav.tsx
+++ b/apps/tlon-web/src/components/Sidebar/AppNav.tsx
@@ -9,11 +9,11 @@ import { isNativeApp, useSafeAreaInsets } from '@/logic/native';
 import useAppUpdates, { AppUpdateContext } from '@/logic/useAppUpdates';
 import { useIsDark, useIsMobile } from '@/logic/useMedia';
 import useShowTabBar from '@/logic/useShowTabBar';
-import { useNotifications } from '@/notifications/useNotifications';
 import {
   useCombinedChatUnreads,
   useCombinedGroupUnreads,
   useMarkAllGroupsRead,
+  useSourceActivity,
 } from '@/state/activity';
 import { useCharge } from '@/state/docket';
 import { useLocalState } from '@/state/local';
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ function MessagesTab(props: { isInactive: boolean; isDarkMode: boolean }) {
 
 function ActivityTab(props: { isInactive: boolean; isDarkMode: boolean }) {
   const navigate = useNavigate();
-  const { activity } = useNotifications();
+  const { activity } = useSourceActivity('base');
   const isMobile = useIsMobile();
 
   if (isMobile) {
diff --git a/desk/app/activity.hoon b/desk/app/activity.hoon
index 2bf9aa698c..d1a13b44c2 100644
--- a/desk/app/activity.hoon
+++ b/desk/app/activity.hoon
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@
       %add      (add-event +.action)
       %bump     (bump +.action)
       %del      (del-source +.action)
-      %read     (read source.action read-action.action)
+      %read     (read source.action read-action.action |)
       %adjust   (adjust +.action)
       %allow-notifications  (allow +.action)
     ==
@@ -730,7 +730,7 @@
   %-  (log |.("sending activity: {<new-activity>}"))
   (give-update [%activity new-activity] [%hose ~])
 ++  read
-  |=  [=source:a action=read-action:a]
+  |=  [=source:a action=read-action:a from-parent=?]
   ^+  cor
   =/  =index:a  (get-index source)
   ?-  -.action
@@ -753,11 +753,13 @@
       |-
       ?~  children  cor
       =/  =source:a  i.children
-      =.  cor  (read source action)
+      =.  cor  (read source action &)
       $(children t.children)
     ::  we need to refresh our own index to reflect new reads
     %-  (log |.("refeshing index: {<source>}"))
     =.  indices  (~(put by indices) source new)
+    ?:  from-parent
+      (refresh-summary source)
     =.  cor  (refresh source)
     =/  new-activity=activity:a
       %+  roll
diff --git a/packages/shared/src/urbit/activity.ts b/packages/shared/src/urbit/activity.ts
index 2ece3cf976..1f2c9c99e6 100644
--- a/packages/shared/src/urbit/activity.ts
+++ b/packages/shared/src/urbit/activity.ts
@@ -692,20 +692,13 @@ export function getSource(bundle: ActivityBundle): Source {
 
   if ('flag-post' in top) {
     return {
-      channel: {
-        nest: top['flag-post'].channel,
-        group: top['flag-post'].group,
-      },
+      group: top['flag-post'].group,
     };
   }
 
   if ('flag-reply' in top) {
     return {
-      thread: {
-        key: top['flag-reply'].parent,
-        channel: top['flag-reply'].channel,
-        group: top['flag-reply'].group,
-      },
+      group: top['flag-reply'].group,
     };
   }