diff --git a/main/application.cpp b/main/application.cpp
index f6ffe07..696ec03 100644
--- a/main/application.cpp
+++ b/main/application.cpp
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ Application::Application(Core::Squawk* p_core):
     availability(Shared::Availability::offline),
     core(p_core),
     squawk(nullptr),
-    notifications("org.freedesktop.Notifications", "/org/freedesktop/Notifications", "org.freedesktop.Notifications", QDBusConnection::sessionBus()),
+    notifications("org.freedesktop.Notifications", "/org/freedesktop/Notifications", "org.freedesktop.Notifications"),
     roster(),
     conversations(),
     dialogueQueue(roster),
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ Application::Application(Core::Squawk* p_core):
     destroyingSquawk(false)
 {
     connect(&roster, &Models::Roster::unnoticedMessage, this, &Application::notify);
+    connect(&roster, &Models::Roster::unreadMessagesCountChanged, this, &Application::unreadMessagesCountChanged);
 
 
     //connecting myself to the backed
@@ -100,6 +101,7 @@ void Application::quit()
         emit quitting();
 
         writeSettings();
+        unreadMessagesCountChanged(0);      //this notification persist in the desktop, for now I'll zero it on quit not to confuse people
         for (Conversations::const_iterator itr = conversations.begin(), end = conversations.end(); itr != end; ++itr) {
             disconnect(itr->second, &Conversation::destroyed, this, &Application::onConversationClosed);
             itr->second->close();
@@ -212,7 +214,7 @@ void Application::notify(const QString& account, const Shared::Message& msg)
     args << body;
     args << QStringList();
     args << QVariantMap({
-        {"desktop-entry", QString(QCoreApplication::applicationName())},
+        {"desktop-entry", qApp->desktopFileName()},
         {"category", QString("message")},
        // {"sound-file", "/path/to/macaw/squawk"},
         {"sound-name", QString("message-new-instant")}
@@ -225,6 +227,18 @@ void Application::notify(const QString& account, const Shared::Message& msg)
     }
 }
 
+void Application::unreadMessagesCountChanged(int count)
+{
+    QDBusMessage signal = QDBusMessage::createSignal("/", "com.canonical.Unity.LauncherEntry", "Update");
+    signal << qApp->desktopFileName() + QLatin1String(".desktop");
+    signal << QVariantMap ({
+        {"count-visible", count != 0},
+        {"count", count}
+    });
+    QDBusConnection::sessionBus().send(signal);
+}
+
+
 void Application::setState(Shared::Availability p_availability)
 {
     if (availability != p_availability) {
diff --git a/main/application.h b/main/application.h
index 15adce7..7d70877 100644
--- a/main/application.h
+++ b/main/application.h
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ public slots:
 
 protected slots:
     void notify(const QString& account, const Shared::Message& msg);
+    void unreadMessagesCountChanged(int count);
     void setState(Shared::Availability availability);
 
     void changeAccount(const QString& account, const QMap<QString, QVariant>& data);
diff --git a/main/main.cpp b/main/main.cpp
index 77719a2..60b3c83 100644
--- a/main/main.cpp
+++ b/main/main.cpp
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     QApplication::setOrganizationName("macaw.me");
     QApplication::setApplicationDisplayName("Squawk");
     QApplication::setApplicationVersion("0.2.2");
+    app.setDesktopFileName("squawk");
 
     QTranslator qtTranslator;
     qtTranslator.load("qt_" + QLocale::system().name(), QLibraryInfo::location(QLibraryInfo::TranslationsPath));
diff --git a/ui/models/element.cpp b/ui/models/element.cpp
index 4e741a4..0c709ab 100644
--- a/ui/models/element.cpp
+++ b/ui/models/element.cpp
@@ -171,6 +171,7 @@ void Models::Element::fileError(const QString& messageId, const QString& error,
 
 void Models::Element::onFeedUnreadMessagesCountChanged()
 {
+    emit unreadMessagesCountChanged();
     if (type == contact) {
         changed(4);
     } else if (type == room) {
diff --git a/ui/models/element.h b/ui/models/element.h
index 94d67cb..dd90ea1 100644
--- a/ui/models/element.h
+++ b/ui/models/element.h
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ signals:
     void requestArchive(const QString& before);
     void fileDownloadRequest(const QString& url);
     void unnoticedMessage(const QString& account, const Shared::Message& msg);
+    void unreadMessagesCountChanged();
     void localPathInvalid(const QString& path);
     
 protected:
diff --git a/ui/models/roster.cpp b/ui/models/roster.cpp
index fef3e43..b2caf6b 100644
--- a/ui/models/roster.cpp
+++ b/ui/models/roster.cpp
@@ -463,6 +463,7 @@ void Models::Roster::addContact(const QString& account, const QString& jid, cons
             connect(contact, &Contact::fileDownloadRequest, this, &Roster::fileDownloadRequest);
             connect(contact, &Contact::unnoticedMessage, this, &Roster::unnoticedMessage);
             connect(contact, &Contact::localPathInvalid, this, &Roster::localPathInvalid);
+            connect(contact, &Contact::unreadMessagesCountChanged, this, &Roster::recalculateUnreadMessages);
             contacts.insert(std::make_pair(id, contact));
         } else {
             contact = itr->second;
@@ -805,6 +806,7 @@ void Models::Roster::addRoom(const QString& account, const QString jid, const QM
     connect(room, &Room::fileDownloadRequest, this, &Roster::fileDownloadRequest);
     connect(room, &Room::unnoticedMessage, this, &Roster::unnoticedMessage);
     connect(room, &Room::localPathInvalid, this, &Roster::localPathInvalid);
+    connect(room, &Room::unreadMessagesCountChanged, this, &Roster::recalculateUnreadMessages);
     rooms.insert(std::make_pair(id, room));
     acc->appendChild(room);
 }
@@ -1049,3 +1051,14 @@ void Models::Roster::onAccountReconnected()
     }
 }
 
+void Models::Roster::recalculateUnreadMessages()
+{
+    int count(0);
+    for (const std::pair<const ElId, Contact*>& pair : contacts) {
+        count += pair.second->getMessagesCount();
+    }
+    for (const std::pair<const ElId, Room*>& pair : rooms) {
+        count += pair.second->getMessagesCount();
+    }
+    emit unreadMessagesCountChanged(count);
+}
diff --git a/ui/models/roster.h b/ui/models/roster.h
index 60adf13..249947b 100644
--- a/ui/models/roster.h
+++ b/ui/models/roster.h
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ public:
 signals:
     void requestArchive(const QString& account, const QString& jid, const QString& before);
     void fileDownloadRequest(const QString& url);
+    void unreadMessagesCountChanged(int count);
     void unnoticedMessage(const QString& account, const Shared::Message& msg);
     void localPathInvalid(const QString& path);
     
@@ -113,6 +114,7 @@ private slots:
     void onChildIsAboutToBeMoved(Item* source, int first, int last, Item* destination, int newIndex);
     void onChildMoved();
     void onElementRequestArchive(const QString& before);
+    void recalculateUnreadMessages();
     
 private:
     Item* root;