diff --git a/web/react/stores/socket_store.jsx b/web/react/stores/socket_store.jsx
index 8c34890018..9410c1e9cc 100644
--- a/web/react/stores/socket_store.jsx
+++ b/web/react/stores/socket_store.jsx
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ function handleNewPostEvent(msg) {
     // Update channel state
     if (ChannelStore.getCurrentId() === msg.channel_id) {
         if (window.isActive) {
-            AsyncClient.updateLastViewedAt();
+            AsyncClient.updateLastViewedAt(true);
         }
     } else {
         AsyncClient.getChannel(msg.channel_id);
diff --git a/web/react/utils/async_client.jsx b/web/react/utils/async_client.jsx
index fb76311594..b1bc71d548 100644
--- a/web/react/utils/async_client.jsx
+++ b/web/react/utils/async_client.jsx
@@ -152,14 +152,14 @@ export function getChannel(id) {
     );
 }
 
-export function updateLastViewedAt() {
+export function updateLastViewedAt(force) {
     const channelId = ChannelStore.getCurrentId();
 
     if (channelId === null) {
         return;
     }
 
-    if (isCallInProgress(`updateLastViewed${channelId}`)) {
+    if (isCallInProgress(`updateLastViewed${channelId}`) && !force) {
         return;
     }