diff --git a/src/Simplex/Chat.hs b/src/Simplex/Chat.hs
index bbc8000c28..bc8716891a 100644
--- a/src/Simplex/Chat.hs
+++ b/src/Simplex/Chat.hs
@@ -2122,7 +2122,7 @@ chatCommandP =
     <|> "/_send " *> (APISendMessage <$> chatRefP <*> (" json " *> jsonP <|> " text " *> (ComposedMessage Nothing Nothing <$> mcTextP)))
     <|> "/_update item " *> (APIUpdateChatItem <$> chatRefP <* A.space <*> A.decimal <* A.space <*> msgContentP)
     <|> "/_delete item " *> (APIDeleteChatItem <$> chatRefP <* A.space <*> A.decimal <* A.space <*> ciDeleteMode)
-    <|> "/_read chat " *> (APIChatRead <$> chatRefP <* A.space <*> ((,) <$> ("from=" *> A.decimal) <* A.space <*> ("to=" *> A.decimal)))
+    <|> "/_read chat " *> (APIChatRead <$> chatRefP <*> optional (A.space *> ((,) <$> ("from=" *> A.decimal) <* A.space <*> ("to=" *> A.decimal))))
     <|> "/_delete " *> (APIDeleteChat <$> chatRefP)
     <|> "/_accept " *> (APIAcceptContact <$> A.decimal)
     <|> "/_reject " *> (APIRejectContact <$> A.decimal)
diff --git a/src/Simplex/Chat/Controller.hs b/src/Simplex/Chat/Controller.hs
index 9eca5c606a..1de9da5371 100644
--- a/src/Simplex/Chat/Controller.hs
+++ b/src/Simplex/Chat/Controller.hs
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ data ChatCommand
   | APISendMessage ChatRef ComposedMessage
   | APIUpdateChatItem ChatRef ChatItemId MsgContent
   | APIDeleteChatItem ChatRef ChatItemId CIDeleteMode
-  | APIChatRead ChatRef (ChatItemId, ChatItemId)
+  | APIChatRead ChatRef (Maybe (ChatItemId, ChatItemId))
   | APIDeleteChat ChatRef
   | APIAcceptContact Int64
   | APIRejectContact Int64
diff --git a/src/Simplex/Chat/Store.hs b/src/Simplex/Chat/Store.hs
index c08406646a..f8a0cebc02 100644
--- a/src/Simplex/Chat/Store.hs
+++ b/src/Simplex/Chat/Store.hs
@@ -3562,29 +3562,49 @@ toChatItemRef = \case
   (itemId, Nothing, Just groupId) -> Right (itemId, ChatRef CTGroup groupId)
   (itemId, _, _) -> Left $ SEBadChatItem itemId
 
-updateDirectChatItemsRead :: (StoreMonad m) => SQLiteStore -> Int64 -> (ChatItemId, ChatItemId) -> m ()
-updateDirectChatItemsRead st contactId (fromItemId, toItemId) = do
+updateDirectChatItemsRead :: (StoreMonad m) => SQLiteStore -> Int64 -> Maybe (ChatItemId, ChatItemId) -> m ()
+updateDirectChatItemsRead st contactId itemsRange_ = do
   currentTs <- liftIO getCurrentTime
   liftIO . withTransaction st $ \db ->
-    DB.execute
-      db
-      [sql|
-        UPDATE chat_items SET item_status = ?, updated_at = ?
-        WHERE contact_id = ? AND chat_item_id >= ? AND chat_item_id <= ? AND item_status = ?
-      |]
-      (CISRcvRead, currentTs, contactId, fromItemId, toItemId, CISRcvNew)
+    case itemsRange_ of
+      Just (fromItemId, toItemId) ->
+        DB.execute
+          db
+          [sql|
+            UPDATE chat_items SET item_status = ?, updated_at = ?
+            WHERE contact_id = ? AND chat_item_id >= ? AND chat_item_id <= ? AND item_status = ?
+          |]
+          (CISRcvRead, currentTs, contactId, fromItemId, toItemId, CISRcvNew)
+      _ ->
+        DB.execute
+          db
+          [sql|
+            UPDATE chat_items SET item_status = ?, updated_at = ?
+            WHERE contact_id = ? AND item_status = ?
+          |]
+          (CISRcvRead, currentTs, contactId, CISRcvNew)
 
-updateGroupChatItemsRead :: (StoreMonad m) => SQLiteStore -> Int64 -> (ChatItemId, ChatItemId) -> m ()
-updateGroupChatItemsRead st groupId (fromItemId, toItemId) = do
+updateGroupChatItemsRead :: (StoreMonad m) => SQLiteStore -> Int64 -> Maybe (ChatItemId, ChatItemId) -> m ()
+updateGroupChatItemsRead st groupId itemsRange_ = do
   currentTs <- liftIO getCurrentTime
   liftIO . withTransaction st $ \db ->
-    DB.execute
-      db
-      [sql|
-        UPDATE chat_items SET item_status = ?, updated_at = ?
-        WHERE group_id = ? AND chat_item_id >= ? AND chat_item_id <= ? AND item_status = ?
-      |]
-      (CISRcvRead, currentTs, groupId, fromItemId, toItemId, CISRcvNew)
+    case itemsRange_ of
+      Just (fromItemId, toItemId) ->
+        DB.execute
+          db
+          [sql|
+            UPDATE chat_items SET item_status = ?, updated_at = ?
+            WHERE group_id = ? AND chat_item_id >= ? AND chat_item_id <= ? AND item_status = ?
+          |]
+          (CISRcvRead, currentTs, groupId, fromItemId, toItemId, CISRcvNew)
+      _ ->
+        DB.execute
+          db
+          [sql|
+            UPDATE chat_items SET item_status = ?, updated_at = ?
+            WHERE group_id = ? AND item_status = ?
+          |]
+          (CISRcvRead, currentTs, groupId, CISRcvNew)
 
 type ChatStatsRow = (Int, ChatItemId)
 
diff --git a/tests/ChatTests.hs b/tests/ChatTests.hs
index 9a6f0b7be8..f3ad49831c 100644
--- a/tests/ChatTests.hs
+++ b/tests/ChatTests.hs
@@ -152,6 +152,8 @@ testAddContact =
       -- read messages
       alice #$> ("/_read chat @2 from=1 to=100", id, "ok")
       bob #$> ("/_read chat @2 from=1 to=100", id, "ok")
+      alice #$> ("/_read chat @2", id, "ok")
+      bob #$> ("/_read chat @2", id, "ok")
 
 testDirectMessageQuotedReply :: IO ()
 testDirectMessageQuotedReply =
@@ -383,6 +385,9 @@ testGroup =
       alice #$> ("/_read chat #1 from=1 to=100", id, "ok")
       bob #$> ("/_read chat #1 from=1 to=100", id, "ok")
       cath #$> ("/_read chat #1 from=1 to=100", id, "ok")
+      alice #$> ("/_read chat #1", id, "ok")
+      bob #$> ("/_read chat #1", id, "ok")
+      cath #$> ("/_read chat #1", id, "ok")
 
 testGroup2 :: IO ()
 testGroup2 =