diff --git a/src/components/mobile_nav/mobile_nav.js b/src/components/mobile_nav/mobile_nav.js
index 877d52a9..3b41d2ce 100644
--- a/src/components/mobile_nav/mobile_nav.js
+++ b/src/components/mobile_nav/mobile_nav.js
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ const MobileNav = {
   created () {
     this.notificationsCloseGesture = GestureService.swipeGesture(
       GestureService.DIRECTION_RIGHT,
-      this.closeMobileNotifications,
+      () => this.closeMobileNotifications(true),
       50
     )
   },
@@ -56,12 +56,14 @@ const MobileNav = {
     openMobileNotifications () {
       this.notificationsOpen = true
     },
-    closeMobileNotifications () {
+    closeMobileNotifications (markRead) {
       if (this.notificationsOpen) {
         // make sure to mark notifs seen only when the notifs were open and not
         // from close-calls.
         this.notificationsOpen = false
-        this.markNotificationsAsSeen()
+        if (markRead) {
+          this.markNotificationsAsSeen()
+        }
       }
     },
     notificationsTouchStart (e) {
diff --git a/src/components/mobile_nav/mobile_nav.vue b/src/components/mobile_nav/mobile_nav.vue
index 949cf17e..e3459681 100644
--- a/src/components/mobile_nav/mobile_nav.vue
+++ b/src/components/mobile_nav/mobile_nav.vue
@@ -56,15 +56,15 @@
     >
       <div class="mobile-notifications-header">
         <span class="title">{{ $t('notifications.notifications') }}</span>
-        <a
-          class="mobile-nav-button"
-          @click.stop.prevent="closeMobileNotifications()"
+        <button
+          class="button-unstyled mobile-nav-button"
+          @click.stop.prevent="closeMobileNotifications(true)"
         >
           <FAIcon
             class="fa-scale-110 fa-old-padding"
             icon="times"
           />
-        </a>
+        </button>
       </div>
       <div
         id="mobile-notifications"