diff --git a/core/src/main/java/com/shatteredpixel/shatteredpixeldungeon/SPDSettings.java b/core/src/main/java/com/shatteredpixel/shatteredpixeldungeon/SPDSettings.java
index 3ba043753..f5769bf8c 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/com/shatteredpixel/shatteredpixeldungeon/SPDSettings.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/com/shatteredpixel/shatteredpixeldungeon/SPDSettings.java
@@ -302,8 +302,7 @@ public class SPDSettings extends GameSettings {
 	}
 
 	public static long newsLastRead(){
-		//returns the current time when none is stored, so historical news isn't seen as unread
-		return getLong(KEY_NEWS_LAST_READ, Game.realTime);
+		return getLong(KEY_NEWS_LAST_READ, 0);
 	}
 	
 	//Window management (desktop only atm)
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/com/shatteredpixel/shatteredpixeldungeon/scenes/NewsScene.java b/core/src/main/java/com/shatteredpixel/shatteredpixeldungeon/scenes/NewsScene.java
index af122429c..a70bbbcbc 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/com/shatteredpixel/shatteredpixeldungeon/scenes/NewsScene.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/com/shatteredpixel/shatteredpixeldungeon/scenes/NewsScene.java
@@ -266,7 +266,10 @@ public class NewsScene extends PixelScene {
 			this.article = article;
 
 			icon(News.parseArticleIcon(article));
-			if (article.date.getTime() > SPDSettings.newsLastRead()) textColor(Window.SHPX_COLOR);
+			long lastRead = SPDSettings.newsLastRead();
+			if (lastRead > 0 && article.date.getTime() > lastRead) {
+				textColor(Window.SHPX_COLOR);
+			}
 
 			Calendar cal = Calendar.getInstance();
 			cal.setTime(article.date);
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/com/shatteredpixel/shatteredpixeldungeon/scenes/TitleScene.java b/core/src/main/java/com/shatteredpixel/shatteredpixeldungeon/scenes/TitleScene.java
index abe5aa739..e1cf9a3c3 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/com/shatteredpixel/shatteredpixeldungeon/scenes/TitleScene.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/com/shatteredpixel/shatteredpixeldungeon/scenes/TitleScene.java
@@ -228,10 +228,17 @@ public class TitleScene extends PixelScene {
 			super.update();
 
 			if (unreadCount == -1 && News.articlesAvailable()){
-				unreadCount = News.unreadArticles(new Date(SPDSettings.newsLastRead()));
-				if (unreadCount > 0){
-					unreadCount = Math.min(unreadCount, 9);
-					text(text() + "(" + unreadCount + ")");
+				long lastRead = SPDSettings.newsLastRead();
+				if (lastRead == 0){
+					if (News.articles().get(0) != null) {
+						SPDSettings.newsLastRead(News.articles().get(0).date.getTime());
+					}
+				} else {
+					unreadCount = News.unreadArticles(new Date(SPDSettings.newsLastRead()));
+					if (unreadCount > 0) {
+						unreadCount = Math.min(unreadCount, 9);
+						text(text() + "(" + unreadCount + ")");
+					}
 				}
 			}