diff --git a/web/styles/zulip.css b/web/styles/zulip.css
index af3e7688f4..fbc8b9a65f 100644
--- a/web/styles/zulip.css
+++ b/web/styles/zulip.css
@@ -206,6 +206,11 @@ body {
     --color-border-dropdown-menu: hsl(0deg 0% 0% / 40%);
     --color-border-personal-menu-avatar: hsl(0deg 0% 0% / 10%);
     --color-background-unread-counter: hsl(105deg 2% 50%);
+    /* There's no alpha channel here, but this keeps
+       the variable names in line. */
+    --color-background-unread-counter-no-alpha: var(
+        --color-background-unread-counter
+    );
     --color-background-unread-counter-dot: var(
         --color-background-unread-counter
     );