diff --git a/src/stores/notifications/ListNotificationState.ts b/src/stores/notifications/ListNotificationState.ts
index 4168fe80b6..97ba2bd80b 100644
--- a/src/stores/notifications/ListNotificationState.ts
+++ b/src/stores/notifications/ListNotificationState.ts
@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@ export class ListNotificationState extends NotificationState {
         super();
     }
 
+    public get symbol(): string {
+        return this._color === NotificationColor.Unsent ? "!" : null;
+    }
+
     public setRooms(rooms: Room[]) {
         // If we're only concerned about the tile count, don't bother setting up listeners.
         if (this.byTileCount) {
@@ -78,7 +82,6 @@ export class ListNotificationState extends NotificationState {
     private calculateTotalState() {
         const snapshot = this.snapshot();
 
-        this._symbol = null;
         if (this.byTileCount) {
             this._color = NotificationColor.Red;
             this._count = this.rooms.length;
@@ -89,10 +92,6 @@ export class ListNotificationState extends NotificationState {
                 this._count += state.count;
                 this._color = Math.max(this.color, state.color);
             }
-
-            if (this._color === NotificationColor.Unsent) {
-                this._symbol = "!";
-            }
         }
 
         // finally, publish an update if needed
diff --git a/src/stores/notifications/SpaceNotificationState.ts b/src/stores/notifications/SpaceNotificationState.ts
index c414a01fc2..137b2ca0f2 100644
--- a/src/stores/notifications/SpaceNotificationState.ts
+++ b/src/stores/notifications/SpaceNotificationState.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,10 @@ export class SpaceNotificationState extends NotificationState {
         super();
     }
 
+    public get symbol(): string {
+        return this._color === NotificationColor.Unsent ? "!" : null;
+    }
+
     public setRooms(rooms: Room[]) {
         const oldRooms = this.rooms;
         const diff = arrayDiff(oldRooms, rooms);
@@ -75,10 +79,7 @@ export class SpaceNotificationState extends NotificationState {
             this._color = Math.max(this.color, state.color);
         }
 
-        this._symbol = this._color === NotificationColor.Unsent ? "!" : null;
-
         // finally, publish an update if needed
         this.emitIfUpdated(snapshot);
     }
 }
-