diff --git a/static/js/activity.js b/static/js/activity.js
index d539f033d6..6ac4a8097f 100644
--- a/static/js/activity.js
+++ b/static/js/activity.js
@@ -51,6 +51,50 @@ exports.presence_info = {};
 
 var huddle_timestamps = new Dict();
 
+function update_count_in_dom(count_span, value_span, count) {
+    if (count === 0) {
+        count_span.hide();
+        if (count_span.parent().hasClass("user_sidebar_entry")) {
+            count_span.parent(".user_sidebar_entry").removeClass("user-with-count");
+        } else if (count_span.parent().hasClass("group-pms-sidebar-entry")) {
+            count_span.parent(".group-pms-sidebar-entry").removeClass("group-with-count");
+        }
+        value_span.text('');
+        return;
+    }
+
+    count_span.show();
+
+    if (count_span.parent().hasClass("user_sidebar_entry")) {
+        count_span.parent(".user_sidebar_entry").addClass("user-with-count");
+    } else if (count_span.parent().hasClass("group-pms-sidebar-entry")) {
+        count_span.parent(".group-pms-sidebar-entry").addClass("group-with-count");
+    }
+    value_span.text(count);
+}
+
+function get_filter_li(name) {
+    if (name.indexOf(",") < 0) {
+        return $("li.user_sidebar_entry[data-email='" + name + "']");
+    } else {
+        return $("li.group-pms-sidebar-entry[data-emails='" + name + "']");
+    }
+}
+
+function set_count(name, count) {
+    var count_span = get_filter_li(name).find('.count');
+    var value_span = count_span.find('.value');
+    update_count_in_dom(count_span, value_span, count);
+}
+
+exports.update_dom_with_unread_counts = function (counts) {
+    // counts is just a data object that gets calculated elsewhere
+    // Our job is to update some DOM elements.
+
+    counts.pm_count.each(function (count, person) {
+        set_count(person, count);
+    });
+};
 
 exports.process_loaded_messages = function (messages) {
     var need_resize = false;
@@ -320,7 +364,7 @@ exports.update_huddles = function () {
 
     _.each(huddles, function (huddle) {
         var count = unread.num_unread_for_person(huddle);
-        stream_list.set_presence_list_count(huddle, count);
+        set_count(huddle, count);
     });
 
     show_huddles();
diff --git a/static/js/stream_list.js b/static/js/stream_list.js
index 1059ebc907..f347d0595e 100644
--- a/static/js/stream_list.js
+++ b/static/js/stream_list.js
@@ -151,8 +151,6 @@ function iterate_to_find(selector, name_to_find, context) {
     return found ? $(found) : $();
 }
 
-// TODO: Now that the unread count functions support the user sidebar
-// as well, we probably should consider moving them to a different file.
 function get_filter_li(type, name) {
     if (type === 'stream') {
         var sub = stream_data.get_sub(name);
@@ -307,10 +305,6 @@ function update_count_in_dom(count_span, value_span, count) {
         count_span.hide();
         if (count_span.parent().hasClass("subscription_block")) {
             count_span.parent(".subscription_block").removeClass("stream-with-count");
-        } else if (count_span.parent().hasClass("user_sidebar_entry")) {
-            count_span.parent(".user_sidebar_entry").removeClass("user-with-count");
-        } else if (count_span.parent().hasClass("group-pms-sidebar-entry")) {
-            count_span.parent(".group-pms-sidebar-entry").removeClass("group-with-count");
         }
         value_span.text('');
         return;
@@ -320,10 +314,6 @@ function update_count_in_dom(count_span, value_span, count) {
 
     if (count_span.parent().hasClass("subscription_block")) {
         count_span.parent(".subscription_block").addClass("stream-with-count");
-    } else if (count_span.parent().hasClass("user_sidebar_entry")) {
-        count_span.parent(".user_sidebar_entry").addClass("user-with-count");
-    } else if (count_span.parent().hasClass("group-pms-sidebar-entry")) {
-            count_span.parent(".group-pms-sidebar-entry").addClass("group-with-count");
     }
     value_span.text(count);
 }
@@ -413,10 +403,6 @@ function animate_mention_changes(new_mention_count) {
 }
 
 
-exports.set_presence_list_count = function (person, count) {
-    set_count("private", person, count);
-};
-
 exports.update_dom_with_unread_counts = function (counts) {
     // counts is just a data object that gets calculated elsewhere
     // Our job is to update some DOM elements.
@@ -434,7 +420,6 @@ exports.update_dom_with_unread_counts = function (counts) {
     });
 
     counts.pm_count.each(function (count, person) {
-        exports.set_presence_list_count(person, count);
         exports.set_pm_conversation_count(person, count);
     });
 
diff --git a/static/js/unread.js b/static/js/unread.js
index 2f7885f473..326f6d35ba 100644
--- a/static/js/unread.js
+++ b/static/js/unread.js
@@ -186,6 +186,7 @@ exports.update_unread_counts = function () {
     // Side effects from here down:
     // This updates some DOM elements directly, so try to
     // avoid excessive calls to this.
+    activity.update_dom_with_unread_counts(res);
     stream_list.update_dom_with_unread_counts(res);
     notifications.update_title_count(res.home_unread_messages);
     notifications.update_pm_count(res.private_message_count);