diff --git a/deltachat-ios/AppDelegate.swift b/deltachat-ios/AppDelegate.swift
index 9c8ff3cf7..d73d50b9d 100644
--- a/deltachat-ios/AppDelegate.swift
+++ b/deltachat-ios/AppDelegate.swift
@@ -284,6 +284,7 @@ class AppDelegate: UIResponder, UIApplicationDelegate, UNUserNotificationCenterD
         logger.info("➡️ applicationDidBecomeActive")
         UserDefaults.setMainIoRunning()
         applicationInForeground = true
+        NotificationManager.updateBadgeCounters()
     }
 
     func applicationWillResignActive(_: UIApplication) {
diff --git a/deltachat-ios/Controller/Settings/SettingsViewController.swift b/deltachat-ios/Controller/Settings/SettingsViewController.swift
index c1244c369..dc0d56835 100644
--- a/deltachat-ios/Controller/Settings/SettingsViewController.swift
+++ b/deltachat-ios/Controller/Settings/SettingsViewController.swift
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ internal final class SettingsViewController: UITableViewController {
             NotificationManager.removeAllNotifications()
         }
         UserDefaults.standard.synchronize()
-        NotificationManager.updateApplicationIconBadge(forceZero: !sender.isOn)
+        NotificationManager.updateBadgeCounters(forceZero: !sender.isOn)
     }
 
     // MARK: - updates
diff --git a/deltachat-ios/Coordinator/AppCoordinator.swift b/deltachat-ios/Coordinator/AppCoordinator.swift
index d4db67a57..972b0092a 100644
--- a/deltachat-ios/Coordinator/AppCoordinator.swift
+++ b/deltachat-ios/Coordinator/AppCoordinator.swift
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ class AppCoordinator: NSObject {
         // the applicationIconBadgeNumber is remembered by the system even on reinstalls (just tested on ios 13.3.1),
         // to avoid appearing an old number of a previous installation, we reset the counter manually.
         // but even when this changes in ios, we need the reset as we allow account-deletion also in-app.
-        NotificationManager.updateApplicationIconBadge(forceZero: true)
+        NotificationManager.updateBadgeCounters(forceZero: true)
     }
 
     func presentTabBarController() {
@@ -271,6 +271,7 @@ class AppCoordinator: NSObject {
                                                   createChatsNavigationController(),
                                                   createSettingsNavigationController()], animated: false)
         presentTabBarController()
+        NotificationManager.updateBadgeCounters()
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/deltachat-ios/Helper/NotificationManager.swift b/deltachat-ios/Helper/NotificationManager.swift
index e9161cf89..8d871ff23 100644
--- a/deltachat-ios/Helper/NotificationManager.swift
+++ b/deltachat-ios/Helper/NotificationManager.swift
@@ -22,9 +22,19 @@ public class NotificationManager {
         dcContext = dcAccounts.getSelected()
     }
 
-    public static func updateApplicationIconBadge(forceZero: Bool = false) {
+    public static func updateBadgeCounters(forceZero: Bool = false) {
         DispatchQueue.main.async {
-            UIApplication.shared.applicationIconBadgeNumber = forceZero ? 0 : DcAccounts.shared.getFreshMessageCount()
+            let number = forceZero ? 0 : DcAccounts.shared.getFreshMessageCount()
+
+            // update badge counter on iOS homescreen
+            UIApplication.shared.applicationIconBadgeNumber = number
+
+            // update badge counter on our tabbar
+            if let appDelegate = UIApplication.shared.delegate as? AppDelegate,
+               let appCoordinator = appDelegate.appCoordinator,
+               let chatsNavigationController = appCoordinator.tabBarController.viewControllers?[appCoordinator.chatsTab] {
+                chatsNavigationController.tabBarItem.badgeValue = number > 0 ? "\(number)" : nil
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -55,7 +65,7 @@ public class NotificationManager {
                 nc.removeDeliveredNotifications(withIdentifiers: toRemove)
             }
 
-            NotificationManager.updateApplicationIconBadge()
+            NotificationManager.updateBadgeCounters()
         }
     }
 
@@ -65,7 +75,7 @@ public class NotificationManager {
             object: nil, queue: OperationQueue.main
         ) { _ in
             if !UserDefaults.standard.bool(forKey: "notifications_disabled") {
-                NotificationManager.updateApplicationIconBadge()
+                NotificationManager.updateBadgeCounters()
             }
         }