diff --git a/css/tailwind.source.css b/css/tailwind.source.css
index e5b4a7df..76d274f2 100644
--- a/css/tailwind.source.css
+++ b/css/tailwind.source.css
@@ -235,6 +235,23 @@
     display: block;
   }
 
+  #profileUnreadDot {
+    position: absolute;
+    top: var(--space-3xs);
+    right: var(--space-3xs);
+    width: calc(var(--space-2xs) + var(--space-3xs));
+    height: calc(var(--space-2xs) + var(--space-3xs));
+    border-radius: 999px;
+    border: var(--border-width-hairline) solid var(--color-page);
+    background-color: var(--status-danger);
+    display: none;
+    pointer-events: none;
+  }
+
+  #profileUnreadDot.is-visible {
+    display: block;
+  }
+
   .header-icon-toggle[data-theme-state="light"]:hover,
   .header-icon-toggle[data-theme-state="light"]:focus-visible {
     color: var(--color-text);
diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index 6b0f8402..b145f4b2 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@
             <!-- Profile Button (hidden by default) -->
             <button
               id="profileButton"
-              class="btn-ghost focus-ring hidden h-12 w-12 rounded-full p-0"
+              class="btn-ghost focus-ring relative hidden h-12 w-12 rounded-full p-0"
             >
               <div class="h-10 w-10 overflow-hidden rounded-full">
                 <img
@@ -300,6 +300,7 @@
                   class="h-full w-full object-cover"
                 />
               </div>
+              <span id="profileUnreadDot" aria-hidden="true"></span>
             </button>
           </div>
         </div>
diff --git a/js/app.js b/js/app.js
index 271ddac0..c12ddfe8 100644
--- a/js/app.js
+++ b/js/app.js
@@ -4429,6 +4429,9 @@ class Application {
 
     this.applyAuthenticatedUiState();
     this.commentController?.refreshAuthState?.();
+    if (typeof this.refreshUnreadDmIndicator === "function") {
+      void this.refreshUnreadDmIndicator({ reason: "auth-login" });
+    }
 
     const currentView = getHashViewName();
     const normalizedView =
@@ -4681,6 +4684,9 @@ class Application {
     }
 
     this.applyLoggedOutUiState();
+    if (this.appChromeController?.setUnreadDmIndicator) {
+      this.appChromeController.setUnreadDmIndicator(false);
+    }
 
     const logoutView = getHashViewName();
     if (
diff --git a/js/services/nostrService.js b/js/services/nostrService.js
index 80a4ee79..f1f1f3e0 100644
--- a/js/services/nostrService.js
+++ b/js/services/nostrService.js
@@ -763,10 +763,16 @@ export class NostrService {
   }
 
   async acknowledgeRenderedDirectMessages(conversationId, renderedUntil) {
-    return this.dmNotificationManager.acknowledgeRenderedMessages({
+    const conversation = await this.dmNotificationManager.acknowledgeRenderedMessages({
       conversationId,
       renderedUntil,
     });
+    if (conversation) {
+      this.emit("directMessages:conversationUpdated", {
+        conversation,
+      });
+    }
+    return conversation;
   }
 
   getDirectMessageUnseenCount(conversationId) {
diff --git a/js/ui/appChromeController.js b/js/ui/appChromeController.js
index 1960bd20..a4e73e9c 100644
--- a/js/ui/appChromeController.js
+++ b/js/ui/appChromeController.js
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ export default class AppChromeController {
     this.elements = {
       logoutButton: this.normalizeElement(elements.logoutButton),
       profileButton: this.normalizeElement(elements.profileButton),
+      profileUnreadDot: this.normalizeElement(elements.profileUnreadDot),
       uploadButton: this.normalizeElement(elements.uploadButton),
       loginButton: this.normalizeElement(elements.loginButton),
       closeLoginModalButton: this.normalizeElement(
@@ -206,6 +207,21 @@ export default class AppChromeController {
     }
   }
 
+  setUnreadDmIndicator(visible) {
+    const dot = this.normalizeElement(this.elements.profileUnreadDot);
+    if (!dot) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const profileButton = this.normalizeElement(this.elements.profileButton);
+    const isProfileVisible =
+      profileButton &&
+      !profileButton.classList.contains("hidden") &&
+      !profileButton.hasAttribute("hidden");
+
+    dot.classList.toggle("is-visible", Boolean(visible) && isProfileVisible);
+  }
+
   bindUploadButton() {
     const button = this.normalizeElement(this.elements.uploadButton);
     if (this.boundElements.uploadButton === button) {
diff --git a/js/ui/applicationBootstrap.js b/js/ui/applicationBootstrap.js
index 9d21d8f3..bdc21cc9 100644
--- a/js/ui/applicationBootstrap.js
+++ b/js/ui/applicationBootstrap.js
@@ -409,6 +409,7 @@ export default class ApplicationBootstrap {
 
     app.profileButton = doc?.getElementById("profileButton") || null;
     app.profileAvatar = doc?.getElementById("profileAvatar") || null;
+    app.profileUnreadDot = doc?.getElementById("profileUnreadDot") || null;
 
     const modalManager = new ModalManager({
       app,
@@ -685,12 +686,79 @@ export default class ApplicationBootstrap {
     };
 
     app.videosMap = app.nostrService.getVideosMap();
-    app.unsubscribeFromNostrService = app.nostrService.on(
-      "subscription:changed",
-      ({ subscription }) => {
+    app.refreshUnreadDmIndicator = async ({ reason = "" } = {}) => {
+      if (
+        !app.appChromeController ||
+        typeof app.appChromeController.setUnreadDmIndicator !== "function"
+      ) {
+        return;
+      }
+
+      if (typeof app.isUserLoggedIn === "function" && !app.isUserLoggedIn()) {
+        app.appChromeController.setUnreadDmIndicator(false);
+        return;
+      }
+
+      if (
+        !app.nostrService ||
+        typeof app.nostrService.listDirectMessageConversationSummaries !==
+          "function"
+      ) {
+        app.appChromeController.setUnreadDmIndicator(false);
+        return;
+      }
+
+      try {
+        const summaries =
+          await app.nostrService.listDirectMessageConversationSummaries();
+        const totalUnseen = Array.isArray(summaries)
+          ? summaries.reduce((sum, summary) => {
+              const count = Number(summary?.unseen_count);
+              return sum + (Number.isFinite(count) ? count : 0);
+            }, 0)
+          : 0;
+        app.appChromeController.setUnreadDmIndicator(totalUnseen > 0);
+      } catch (error) {
+        devLogger.warn(
+          "[Application] Failed to refresh DM unread indicator",
+          reason,
+          error,
+        );
+        app.appChromeController.setUnreadDmIndicator(false);
+      }
+    };
+
+    const nostrUnsubscribes = [];
+    nostrUnsubscribes.push(
+      app.nostrService.on("subscription:changed", ({ subscription }) => {
         app.videoSubscription = subscription || null;
-      },
+      }),
     );
+    nostrUnsubscribes.push(
+      app.nostrService.on("directMessages:notification", () => {
+        void app.refreshUnreadDmIndicator({ reason: "dm-notification" });
+      }),
+    );
+    nostrUnsubscribes.push(
+      app.nostrService.on("directMessages:conversationUpdated", () => {
+        void app.refreshUnreadDmIndicator({ reason: "dm-conversation-update" });
+      }),
+    );
+    nostrUnsubscribes.push(
+      app.nostrService.on("directMessages:cleared", () => {
+        if (app.appChromeController) {
+          app.appChromeController.setUnreadDmIndicator(false);
+        }
+      }),
+    );
+    app.unsubscribeFromNostrService = () => {
+      while (nostrUnsubscribes.length) {
+        const unsubscribe = nostrUnsubscribes.pop();
+        if (typeof unsubscribe === "function") {
+          unsubscribe();
+        }
+      }
+    };
     app.boundNwcSettingsToastHandler = null;
     Object.defineProperty(app, "savedProfiles", {
       configurable: false,
@@ -926,6 +994,7 @@ export default class ApplicationBootstrap {
       elements: {
         logoutButton: app.logoutButton,
         profileButton: app.profileButton,
+        profileUnreadDot: app.profileUnreadDot,
         uploadButton: app.uploadButton,
         loginButton: app.loginButton,
         closeLoginModalButton: app.closeLoginModalBtn,