diff --git a/public/openapi/write.yaml b/public/openapi/write.yaml
index af700430fa..5054499dcd 100644
--- a/public/openapi/write.yaml
+++ b/public/openapi/write.yaml
@@ -192,6 +192,8 @@ paths:
     $ref: 'write/posts/pid/replies.yaml'
   /chats/:
     $ref: 'write/chats.yaml'
+  /chats/unread:
+    $ref: 'write/chats/unread.yaml'
   /chats/{roomId}:
     $ref: 'write/chats/roomId.yaml'
   /chats/{roomId}/state:
diff --git a/public/openapi/write/chats/unread.yaml b/public/openapi/write/chats/unread.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ee440665bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/public/openapi/write/chats/unread.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+get:
+  tags:
+    - chats
+  summary: get unread count
+  description: >
+    This operation retrieves the calling user's count of unread chat rooms.
+
+    Note that this API call is open-ended.
+    It currently only returns the unread count, but can be expanded upon in the future.
+  responses:
+    '200':
+      description: Count of unread chat rooms successfully retrieved.
+      content:
+        application/json:
+          schema:
+            type: object
+            properties:
+              status:
+                $ref: ../../components/schemas/Status.yaml#/Status
+              response:
+                type: object
+                properties:
+                  count:
+                    type: number
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/public/src/client/header/chat.js b/public/src/client/header/chat.js
index 44f9cf4a53..a087a45939 100644
--- a/public/src/client/header/chat.js
+++ b/public/src/client/header/chat.js
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 'use strict';
 
 define('forum/header/chat', [
-	'components', 'hooks',
-], function (components, hooks) {
+	'components', 'hooks', 'api',
+], function (components, hooks, api) {
 	const chat = {};
 
 	chat.prepareDOM = function () {
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ define('forum/header/chat', [
 				chatPage.markChatPageElUnread(data);
 			}
 
-			let count = await socket.emit('modules.chats.getUnreadCount', {});
+			let { count } = await api.get('/chats/unread');
 			const chatIcon = components.get('chat/icon');
 			count = Math.max(0, count);
 			chatIcon.toggleClass('fa-comment', count > 0)
diff --git a/src/api/chats.js b/src/api/chats.js
index da47892872..91e3dbd2b4 100644
--- a/src/api/chats.js
+++ b/src/api/chats.js
@@ -79,6 +79,11 @@ chatsAPI.create = async function (caller, data) {
 	return await messaging.getRoomData(roomId);
 };
 
+chatsAPI.getUnread = async (caller) => {
+	const count = await messaging.getUnreadCount(caller.uid);
+	return { count };
+};
+
 chatsAPI.get = async (caller, { uid, roomId }) => await messaging.loadRoom(caller.uid, { uid, roomId });
 
 chatsAPI.post = async (caller, data) => {
diff --git a/src/controllers/write/chats.js b/src/controllers/write/chats.js
index d962e7c1a1..87b1de3023 100644
--- a/src/controllers/write/chats.js
+++ b/src/controllers/write/chats.js
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@ Chats.create = async (req, res) => {
 	helpers.formatApiResponse(200, res, roomObj);
 };
 
+// currently only returns unread count, but open-ended for future additions if warranted.
+Chats.getUnread = async (req, res) => helpers.formatApiResponse(200, res, await api.chats.getUnread(req));
+
 Chats.exists = async (req, res) => {
 	// yes, this is fine. Room existence is checked via middleware :)
 	helpers.formatApiResponse(200, res);
diff --git a/src/routes/write/chats.js b/src/routes/write/chats.js
index bc4326a945..5a42bcdc51 100644
--- a/src/routes/write/chats.js
+++ b/src/routes/write/chats.js
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ module.exports = function () {
 	setupApiRoute(router, 'get', '/', [...middlewares], controllers.write.chats.list);
 	setupApiRoute(router, 'post', '/', [...middlewares, middleware.checkRequired.bind(null, ['uids'])], controllers.write.chats.create);
 
+	setupApiRoute(router, 'get', '/unread', [...middlewares], controllers.write.chats.getUnread);
+
 	setupApiRoute(router, 'head', '/:roomId', [...middlewares, middleware.assert.room], controllers.write.chats.exists);
 	setupApiRoute(router, 'get', '/:roomId', [...middlewares, middleware.assert.room], controllers.write.chats.get);
 	setupApiRoute(router, 'post', '/:roomId', [...middlewares, middleware.assert.room, middleware.checkRequired.bind(null, ['message'])], controllers.write.chats.post);
diff --git a/src/socket.io/modules.js b/src/socket.io/modules.js
index a18f2d8586..e9ad965cb8 100644
--- a/src/socket.io/modules.js
+++ b/src/socket.io/modules.js
@@ -90,7 +90,10 @@ SocketModules.chats.getIP = async function (socket, mid) {
 };
 
 SocketModules.chats.getUnreadCount = async function (socket) {
-	return await Messaging.getUnreadCount(socket.uid);
+	sockets.warnDeprecated(socket, 'GET /api/v3/chats/unread');
+
+	const { count } = await api.chats.getUnread(socket);
+	return count;
 };
 
 SocketModules.chats.enter = async function (socket, roomIds) {