diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 96e9dc1..f850591 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ Mailpit is inspired by [MailHog](#why-rewrite-mailhog), but much, much faster.
 - Runs completely on a single binary
 - SMTP server (default `0.0.0.0:1025`)
 - Web UI to view emails (HTML format, text, source and MIME attachments, default `0.0.0.0:8025`)
-- Real-time web UI updates using websockets for new mail
+- Real-time web UI updates using web sockets for new mail
 - Email storage in either memory or disk (using [CloverDB](https://github.com/ostafen/clover)) - note that in-memory has a physical limit of 1MB per email
 - Configurable automatic email pruning (default keeps the most recent 500 emails)
 - Fast SMTP processing & storing - approximately 300-600 emails per second depending on CPU, network speed & email size
diff --git a/data/mailbox.go b/data/mailbox.go
index ae58ac2..d8f269f 100644
--- a/data/mailbox.go
+++ b/data/mailbox.go
@@ -16,3 +16,9 @@ type WebsocketNotification struct {
 	Type string
 	Data interface{}
 }
+
+// MailboxStats struct for quick mailbox total/read lookups
+type MailboxStats struct {
+	Total  int
+	Unread int
+}
diff --git a/server/api.go b/server/api.go
index e39083b..c00f850 100644
--- a/server/api.go
+++ b/server/api.go
@@ -12,10 +12,11 @@ import (
 )
 
 type messagesResult struct {
-	Total int            `json:"total"`
-	Count int            `json:"count"`
-	Start int            `json:"start"`
-	Items []data.Summary `json:"items"`
+	Total  int            `json:"total"`
+	Unread int            `json:"unread"`
+	Count  int            `json:"count"`
+	Start  int            `json:"start"`
+	Items  []data.Summary `json:"items"`
 }
 
 // Return a list of available mailboxes
@@ -49,18 +50,15 @@ func apiListMailbox(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	total, err := storage.Count(mailbox)
-	if err != nil {
-		httpError(w, err.Error())
-		return
-	}
+	stats := storage.StatsGet(mailbox)
 
 	var res messagesResult
 
 	res.Start = start
 	res.Items = messages
 	res.Count = len(res.Items)
-	res.Total = total
+	res.Total = stats.Total
+	res.Unread = stats.Unread
 
 	bytes, _ := json.Marshal(res)
 	w.Header().Add("Content-Type", "application/json")
@@ -92,24 +90,15 @@ func apiSearchMailbox(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	total, err := storage.Count(mailbox)
-	if err != nil {
-		httpError(w, err.Error())
-		return
-	}
-
-	// total := limit
-	// count := len(messages)
-	// if total > count {
-	// 	total = count
-	// }
+	stats := storage.StatsGet(mailbox)
 
 	var res messagesResult
 
 	res.Start = start
 	res.Items = messages
 	res.Count = len(messages)
-	res.Total = total
+	res.Total = stats.Total
+	res.Unread = stats.Unread
 
 	bytes, _ := json.Marshal(res)
 	w.Header().Add("Content-Type", "application/json")
diff --git a/server/ui-src/App.vue b/server/ui-src/App.vue
index 25b4dcc..7de51a1 100644
--- a/server/ui-src/App.vue
+++ b/server/ui-src/App.vue
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ export default {
 			items: [],
 			limit: 50,
 			total: 0,
+			unread: 0,
 			start: 0,
 			search: "",
 			searching: false,
@@ -71,6 +72,7 @@ export default {
 
 			self.get(uri, params, function(response){
 				self.total = response.data.total;
+				self.unread = response.data.unread;
 				self.count = response.data.count;
 				self.start = response.data.start;
 				self.items = response.data.items;
@@ -119,7 +121,10 @@ export default {
 			self.get(uri, params, function(response) {
 				for (let i in self.items) {
 					if (self.items[i].ID == self.currentPath) {
-						self.items[i].Read = true;
+						if (!self.items[i].Read) {
+							self.items[i].Read = true;
+							self.unread--;
+						}
 					}
 				}
 				let d = response.data;
@@ -208,6 +213,7 @@ export default {
 						}
 					}
 	                self.total++;
+					self.unread++;
                 } else if (response.Type == "prune") {
 					// messages have been deleted, reload messages to adjust
 					self.scrollInPlace = true;
@@ -323,8 +329,8 @@ export default {
 						<i class="bi bi-envelope me-1" v-if="isConnected"></i>
 						<i class="bi bi-arrow-clockwise me-1" v-else></i>
 						Inbox 
-						<span class="position-absolute mt-2 ms-4 start-100 translate-middle badge rounded-pill text-bg-secondary" v-if="total">
-							{{ formatNumber(total) }}
+						<span class="position-absolute mt-2 ms-4 start-100 translate-middle badge rounded-pill text-bg-secondary" title="Unread messages" v-if="unread">
+							{{ formatNumber(unread) }}
 						</span>
 					</a>
 				</li>
diff --git a/storage/database.go b/storage/database.go
index d3fdfda..78845b2 100644
--- a/storage/database.go
+++ b/storage/database.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
 	"regexp"
+	"strings"
 	"syscall"
 	"time"
 
@@ -99,24 +100,20 @@ func ListMailboxes() ([]data.MailboxSummary, error) {
 	results := []data.MailboxSummary{}
 
 	for _, m := range mailboxes {
-
-		total, err := Count(m)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+		// ignore *_data collections
+		if strings.HasSuffix(m, "_data") {
+			continue
 		}
 
-		unread, err := CountUnread(m)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
+		stats := StatsGet(m)
 
 		mb := data.MailboxSummary{}
 		mb.Name = m
 		mb.Slug = m
-		mb.Total = total
-		mb.Unread = unread
+		mb.Total = stats.Total
+		mb.Unread = stats.Unread
 
-		if total > 0 {
+		if mb.Total > 0 {
 			q, err := db.FindFirst(
 				clover.NewQuery(m).Sort(clover.SortOption{Field: "Created", Direction: -1}),
 			)
@@ -172,7 +169,7 @@ func CreateMailbox(name string) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	return nil
+	return statsRefresh(name)
 }
 
 // Store will store a message in the database and return the unique ID
@@ -223,6 +220,8 @@ func Store(mailbox string, b []byte) (string, error) {
 		return "", err
 	}
 
+	statsAddNewMessage(mailbox)
+
 	count++
 	if count%100 == 0 {
 		logger.Log().Infof("%d messages added (%s per 100)", count, time.Since(per100start))
@@ -441,11 +440,16 @@ func GetMessage(mailbox, id string) (*data.Message, error) {
 
 	obj.HTML = html
 
-	updates := make(map[string]interface{})
-	updates["Read"] = true
+	msg, err := db.FindById(mailbox, id)
+	if err == nil && !msg.Get("Read").(bool) {
+		updates := make(map[string]interface{})
+		updates["Read"] = true
 
-	if err := db.UpdateById(mailbox, id, updates); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		if err := db.UpdateById(mailbox, id, updates); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+
+		statsReadOneMessage(mailbox)
 	}
 
 	return &obj, nil
@@ -507,6 +511,8 @@ func UnreadMessage(mailbox, id string) error {
 	updates := make(map[string]interface{})
 	updates["Read"] = false
 
+	statsUnreadOneMessage(mailbox)
+
 	return db.UpdateById(mailbox, id, updates)
 }
 
@@ -516,6 +522,8 @@ func DeleteOneMessage(mailbox, id string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	statsDeleteOneMessage(mailbox)
+
 	return db.DeleteById(mailbox+"_data", id)
 }
 
@@ -545,13 +553,8 @@ func DeleteAllMessages(mailbox string) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	// if err := db.Delete(clover.NewQuery(mailbox)); err != nil {
-	// 	return err
-	// }
-
-	// if err := db.Delete(clover.NewQuery(mailbox + "_data")); err != nil {
-	// 	return err
-	// }
+	// resets stats for mailbox
+	statsRefresh(mailbox)
 
 	elapsed := time.Since(totalStart)
 	logger.Log().Infof("Deleted %d messages from %s in %s", totalMessages, mailbox, elapsed)
diff --git a/storage/stats.go b/storage/stats.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4c3fc57
--- /dev/null
+++ b/storage/stats.go
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+package storage
+
+import (
+	"sync"
+
+	"github.com/axllent/mailpit/data"
+	"github.com/axllent/mailpit/logger"
+	"github.com/ostafen/clover/v2"
+)
+
+var (
+	mailboxStats = map[string]data.MailboxStats{}
+	statsLock    = sync.RWMutex{}
+)
+
+// StatsGet returns the total/unread statistics for a mailbox
+func StatsGet(mailbox string) data.MailboxStats {
+	statsLock.Lock()
+	defer statsLock.Unlock()
+	s, ok := mailboxStats[mailbox]
+	if !ok {
+		return data.MailboxStats{
+			Total:  0,
+			Unread: 0,
+		}
+	}
+	return s
+}
+
+// Refresh will completely refresh the existing stats for a given mailbox
+func statsRefresh(mailbox string) error {
+	logger.Log().Debugf("[stats] refreshing stats for %s", mailbox)
+
+	total, err := db.Count(clover.NewQuery(mailbox))
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	unread, err := db.Count(clover.NewQuery(mailbox).Where(clover.Field("Read").IsFalse()))
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	statsLock.Lock()
+	mailboxStats[mailbox] = data.MailboxStats{
+		Total:  total,
+		Unread: unread,
+	}
+	statsLock.Unlock()
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func statsAddNewMessage(mailbox string) {
+	statsLock.Lock()
+	s, ok := mailboxStats[mailbox]
+	if ok {
+		mailboxStats[mailbox] = data.MailboxStats{
+			Total:  s.Total + 1,
+			Unread: s.Unread + 1,
+		}
+	}
+	statsLock.Unlock()
+}
+
+// Deleting one will always mean it was read
+func statsDeleteOneMessage(mailbox string) {
+	statsLock.Lock()
+	s, ok := mailboxStats[mailbox]
+	if ok {
+		mailboxStats[mailbox] = data.MailboxStats{
+			Total:  s.Total - 1,
+			Unread: s.Unread,
+		}
+	}
+	statsLock.Unlock()
+}
+
+// Mark one message as read
+func statsReadOneMessage(mailbox string) {
+	statsLock.Lock()
+	s, ok := mailboxStats[mailbox]
+	if ok {
+		mailboxStats[mailbox] = data.MailboxStats{
+			Total:  s.Total,
+			Unread: s.Unread - 1,
+		}
+	}
+	statsLock.Unlock()
+}
+
+// Mark one message as unread
+func statsUnreadOneMessage(mailbox string) {
+	statsLock.Lock()
+	s, ok := mailboxStats[mailbox]
+	if ok {
+		mailboxStats[mailbox] = data.MailboxStats{
+			Total:  s.Total,
+			Unread: s.Unread + 1,
+		}
+	}
+	statsLock.Unlock()
+}
diff --git a/storage/utils.go b/storage/utils.go
index 7be0376..8cfca72 100644
--- a/storage/utils.go
+++ b/storage/utils.go
@@ -76,11 +76,12 @@ func pruneCron() {
 				if err := db.Delete(clover.NewQuery(m).
 					Sort(clover.SortOption{Field: "Created", Direction: 1}).
 					Limit(limit)); err != nil {
-					logger.Log().Warnf("Error pruning: %s", err.Error())
+					logger.Log().Warnf("Error pruning %s: %s", m, err.Error())
 					continue
 				}
 				elapsed := time.Since(start)
 				logger.Log().Infof("Pruned %d messages from %s in %s", limit, m, elapsed)
+				statsRefresh(m)
 				if !strings.HasSuffix(m, "_data") {
 					websockets.Broadcast("prune", nil)
 				}