diff --git a/stylesheets/_modules.scss b/stylesheets/_modules.scss
index c256a4847..4bf1f6d02 100644
--- a/stylesheets/_modules.scss
+++ b/stylesheets/_modules.scss
@@ -2011,6 +2011,9 @@
   background-color: $color-gray-05;
 }
 
+.module-conversation-list-item__avatar-container {
+  position: relative;
+}
 .module-conversation-list-item__avatar {
   margin-top: 8px;
   margin-bottom: 8px;
@@ -2064,6 +2067,31 @@
   background-color: $color-conversation-blue_grey;
 }
 
+.module-conversation-list-item__unread-count {
+  color: $color-white;
+  background-color: $color-signal-blue;
+  text-align: center;
+
+  padding-top: 1px;
+  padding-left: 2px;
+  padding-right: 2px;
+
+  position: absolute;
+  right: -6px;
+  top: 6px;
+
+  font-weight: 300;
+  font-size: 11px;
+  letter-spacing: 0.25px;
+
+  height: 16px;
+  min-width: 16px;
+  line-height: 16px;
+  border-radius: 8px;
+
+  box-shadow: 0px 0px 1px 2px $color-white-05;
+}
+
 .module-conversation-list-item__content {
   flex-grow: 1;
   margin-left: 12px;
@@ -2142,23 +2170,6 @@
   font-weight: 300;
 }
 
-.module-conversation-list-item__unread-count {
-  color: $color-white;
-  background-color: $color-signal-blue;
-  text-align: center;
-
-  // For alignment with the message text
-  margin-top: 1px;
-
-  font-size: 10px;
-  margin-left: 5px;
-  min-width: 20px;
-  height: 20px;
-  width: 20px;
-  line-height: 20px;
-  border-radius: 10px;
-}
-
 .module-conversation-list-item__message__status-icon {
   flex-shrink: 0;
 
diff --git a/stylesheets/_variables.scss b/stylesheets/_variables.scss
index 52a92e4e1..0371ea162 100644
--- a/stylesheets/_variables.scss
+++ b/stylesheets/_variables.scss
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ $color-steel-shade: #5a5a63;
 $color-white-015: rgba($color-white, 0.15);
 $color-white-02: rgba($color-white, 0.2);
 $color-white-04: rgba($color-white, 0.4);
+$color-white-05: rgba($color-white, 0.5);
 $color-white-06: rgba($color-white, 0.6);
 $color-white-07: rgba($color-white, 0.7);
 $color-white-075: rgba($color-white, 0.75);
diff --git a/ts/components/ConversationListItem.tsx b/ts/components/ConversationListItem.tsx
index f9d9acae1..14e65c4ed 100644
--- a/ts/components/ConversationListItem.tsx
+++ b/ts/components/ConversationListItem.tsx
@@ -45,14 +45,17 @@ export class ConversationListItem extends React.Component<Props> {
       const initial = getInitial(name || '');
 
       return (
-        <div
-          className={classNames(
-            'module-conversation-list-item__avatar',
-            'module-conversation-list-item__default-avatar',
-            `module-conversation-list-item__default-avatar--${color}`
-          )}
-        >
-          {initial}
+        <div className="module-conversation-list-item__avatar-container">
+          <div
+            className={classNames(
+              'module-conversation-list-item__avatar',
+              'module-conversation-list-item__default-avatar',
+              `module-conversation-list-item__default-avatar--${color}`
+            )}
+          >
+            {initial}
+          </div>
+          {this.renderUnread()}
         </div>
       );
     }
@@ -62,14 +65,31 @@ export class ConversationListItem extends React.Component<Props> {
     }`;
 
     return (
-      <img
-        className="module-conversation-list-item__avatar"
-        alt={i18n('contactAvatarAlt', [title])}
-        src={avatarPath}
-      />
+      <div className="module-conversation-list-item__avatar-container">
+        <img
+          className="module-conversation-list-item__avatar"
+          alt={i18n('contactAvatarAlt', [title])}
+          src={avatarPath}
+        />
+        {this.renderUnread()}
+      </div>
     );
   }
 
+  public renderUnread() {
+    const { unreadCount } = this.props;
+
+    if (unreadCount > 0) {
+      return (
+        <div className="module-conversation-list-item__unread-count">
+          {unreadCount}
+        </div>
+      );
+    }
+
+    return null;
+  }
+
   public renderHeader() {
     const {
       unreadCount,
@@ -116,20 +136,6 @@ export class ConversationListItem extends React.Component<Props> {
     );
   }
 
-  public renderUnread() {
-    const { unreadCount } = this.props;
-
-    if (unreadCount > 0) {
-      return (
-        <div className="module-conversation-list-item__unread-count">
-          {unreadCount}
-        </div>
-      );
-    }
-
-    return null;
-  }
-
   public renderMessage() {
     const { lastMessage, unreadCount, i18n } = this.props;
 
@@ -164,7 +170,6 @@ export class ConversationListItem extends React.Component<Props> {
             )}
           />
         ) : null}
-        {this.renderUnread()}
       </div>
     );
   }