diff --git a/common/src/main/kotlin/dev/msfjarvis/claw/common/comments/CommentNode.kt b/common/src/main/kotlin/dev/msfjarvis/claw/common/comments/CommentNode.kt
index 86b4e027..71a045c3 100644
--- a/common/src/main/kotlin/dev/msfjarvis/claw/common/comments/CommentNode.kt
+++ b/common/src/main/kotlin/dev/msfjarvis/claw/common/comments/CommentNode.kt
@@ -40,8 +40,12 @@ internal fun createListNode(
   comments: List<Comment>,
   commentState: PostComments,
 ): MutableList<CommentNode> {
+  // Only check unread state if there any comments read in the first place. This somewhat restores
+  // the first view behavior from when `commentState` was nullable.
+  val hasUnread = commentState.commentIds.isNotEmpty()
+  val isUnread =
+    if (hasUnread) ({ id: String -> !commentState.commentIds.contains(id) }) else { _ -> false }
   val commentNodes = mutableListOf<CommentNode>()
-  val isUnread = { id: String -> !commentState.commentIds.contains(id) }
 
   for (i in comments.indices) {
     if (comments[i].parentComment == null) {