diff --git a/src/domain/session/room/RoomViewModel.js b/src/domain/session/room/RoomViewModel.js
index 1e2c9af61d..92dc78ee7b 100644
--- a/src/domain/session/room/RoomViewModel.js
+++ b/src/domain/session/room/RoomViewModel.js
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ export class RoomViewModel extends ErrorReportViewModel {
     constructor(options) {
         super(options);
         const {room, tileClassForEntry} = options;
+        this._sendReadReceipt = options.sendReadReceipt ?? true;
         this._room = room;
         this._timelineVM = null;
         this._tileClassForEntry = tileClassForEntry ?? defaultTileClassForEntry;
@@ -127,7 +128,7 @@ export class RoomViewModel extends ErrorReportViewModel {
         this._clearUnreadTimout = this.clock.createTimeout(2000);
         try {
             await this._clearUnreadTimout.elapsed();
-            await this._room.clearUnread(log);
+            await this._room.clearUnread(log, this._sendReadReceipt);
             this._clearUnreadTimout = null;
         } catch (err) {
             if (err.name === "AbortError") {
diff --git a/src/matrix/room/Room.js b/src/matrix/room/Room.js
index 73074f7a8e..ea8fe69028 100644
--- a/src/matrix/room/Room.js
+++ b/src/matrix/room/Room.js
@@ -430,7 +430,13 @@ export class Room extends BaseRoom {
         }
     }
 
-    async clearUnread(log = null) {
+    /**
+     * Clear the unreaad count in the room, and optionally send a read receipt
+     * @param {*} log Logger
+     * @param {boolean} sendReceipt Should a receipt be sent.
+     * @returns 
+     */
+    async clearUnread(log = null, sendReceipt = true) {
         if (this.isUnread || this.notificationCount) {
             return await this._platform.logger.wrapOrRun(log, "clearUnread", async log => {
                 log.set("id", this.id);
@@ -449,7 +455,7 @@ export class Room extends BaseRoom {
                 this._emitUpdate();
                 
                 try {
-                    const lastEventId = await this._getLastEventId();
+                    const lastEventId = sendReceipt && await this._getLastEventId();
                     if (lastEventId) {
                         await this._hsApi.receipt(this._roomId, "m.read", lastEventId);
                     }