diff --git a/src/components/providers/header-provider.tsx b/src/components/providers/header-provider.tsx
index 214f39d..0e66aa5 100644
--- a/src/components/providers/header-provider.tsx
+++ b/src/components/providers/header-provider.tsx
@@ -129,6 +129,8 @@ export function HeaderProvider({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
       }
     };
 
+    const fetchBothCounts = () => { fetchCount(); fetchMessageCount(); };
+
     fetchCount();
     fetchMessageCount();
     const interval = setInterval(fetchCount, 30000);
@@ -136,18 +138,28 @@ export function HeaderProvider({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
     const handleNotification = () => fetchCount();
     window.addEventListener('notification-received', handleNotification);
 
+    // Instantly refresh both counts when messages are read
+    // (dispatched by useMessaging when user views a conversation)
+    window.addEventListener('messages-read', fetchBothCounts);
+
     // Listen to socket events for immediate notification count refresh
     const unsubConnectionReq = socketService.onConnectionRequest(() => fetchCount());
     const unsubConnectionRes = socketService.onConnectionResponse(() => fetchCount());
     const unsubNewMessage = socketService.onNewMessage(() => { fetchCount(); fetchMessageCount(); });
 
+    // Listen to messages_read socket event (when other party reads, or when
+    // mark_read response comes back) to keep counts synchronized
+    const unsubMessagesRead = socketService.onMessagesRead(() => fetchBothCounts());
+
     return () => {
       clearInterval(interval);
       clearInterval(messageInterval);
       window.removeEventListener('notification-received', handleNotification);
+      window.removeEventListener('messages-read', fetchBothCounts);
       unsubConnectionReq();
       unsubConnectionRes();
       unsubNewMessage();
+      unsubMessagesRead();
     };
   }, [status]);