diff --git a/zephyr/static/js/stream_list.js b/zephyr/static/js/stream_list.js
index e8eddc74e2..fe38800139 100644
--- a/zephyr/static/js/stream_list.js
+++ b/zephyr/static/js/stream_list.js
@@ -65,9 +65,13 @@ function iterate_to_find(selector, data_name, context) {
     return retval;
 }
 
+// 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') {
         return $("#stream_sidebar_" + subs.stream_id(name));
+    } else if (type === "private") {
+        return $(".user_sidebar_entry > a[data-email='" + name + "']");
     }
     return iterate_to_find("#" + type + "_filters > li", name);
 }
@@ -224,6 +228,11 @@ exports.update_dom_with_unread_counts = function (counts) {
         });
     });
 
+    // counts.pm_count maps people to counts
+    $.each(counts.pm_count, function(person, count) {
+        exports.set_count("private", person, count);
+    });
+
     // integer counts
     exports.set_count("global", "private-message", counts.private_message_count);
     exports.set_count("global", "mentioned-message", counts.mentioned_message_count);
diff --git a/zephyr/static/js/unread.js b/zephyr/static/js/unread.js
index 910ad18179..8f3b9c7884 100644
--- a/zephyr/static/js/unread.js
+++ b/zephyr/static/js/unread.js
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ function unread_hashkey(message) {
     if (message.type === 'stream') {
         hashkey = subs.canonicalized_name(message.stream);
     } else {
-        hashkey = message.display_reply_to;
+        hashkey = message.reply_to;
     }
 
     if (unread_counts[message.type][hashkey] === undefined) {
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@ exports.get_counts = function () {
     res.mentioned_message_count = Object.keys(unread_mentioned).length;
     res.stream_count = {};  // hash by stream -> count
     res.subject_count = {}; // hash of hashes (stream, then subject -> count)
+    res.pm_count = {}; // Hash by email -> count
 
     function only_in_home_view(msgids) {
         return $.grep(msgids, function (msgid) {
@@ -134,7 +135,7 @@ exports.get_counts = function () {
         }
 
         var count = Object.keys(msgs).length;
-        res.stream_count[stream]= count;
+        res.stream_count[stream] = count;
 
         if (narrow.stream_in_home(stream)) {
             res.home_unread_messages += only_in_home_view(Object.keys(msgs)).length;
@@ -151,7 +152,9 @@ exports.get_counts = function () {
 
     var pm_count = 0;
     $.each(unread_counts["private"], function(index, obj) {
-        pm_count += Object.keys(obj).length;
+        var count = Object.keys(obj).length;
+        res.pm_count[index] = count;
+        pm_count += count;
     });
     res.private_message_count = pm_count;
     res.home_unread_messages += pm_count;
diff --git a/zephyr/static/styles/zephyr.css b/zephyr/static/styles/zephyr.css
index 51b0efc0bd..fb7965c4b9 100644
--- a/zephyr/static/styles/zephyr.css
+++ b/zephyr/static/styles/zephyr.css
@@ -231,6 +231,10 @@ a:hover code {
     text-overflow: ellipsis;
 }
 
+.user_sidebar_entry .count {
+    display: none;
+}
+
 #user_presences li.user_active {
     list-style-image: url(/static/images/presence/user-active.png);
 }
diff --git a/zephyr/static/templates/user_presence_row.handlebars b/zephyr/static/templates/user_presence_row.handlebars
index d2f0e98973..b42aab1c02 100644
--- a/zephyr/static/templates/user_presence_row.handlebars
+++ b/zephyr/static/templates/user_presence_row.handlebars
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 {{! User Presence rows }}
 <li class="user_sidebar_entry user_{{type}}">
 <a href="#" data-email="{{email}}" title="{{name}} {{type_desc}}"
- class="{{#if my_fullname}} my_fullname{{/if}}">{{name}}</a>
+ class="{{#if my_fullname}} my_fullname{{/if}}"><span class="count">(<span class="value"></span>) </span>{{name}}</a>
 </li>