diff --git a/keyserver/src/creators/message-creator.js b/keyserver/src/creators/message-creator.js
--- a/keyserver/src/creators/message-creator.js
+++ b/keyserver/src/creators/message-creator.js
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
   shimUnsupportedRawMessageInfos,
   stripLocalIDs,
 } from 'lib/shared/message-utils.js';
-import { pushTypes } from 'lib/shared/messages/message-spec.js';
+import { messageNotifyTypes } from 'lib/shared/messages/message-spec.js';
 import { messageSpecs } from 'lib/shared/messages/message-specs.js';
 import { messageTypes } from 'lib/types/message-types-enum.js';
 import {
@@ -442,7 +442,7 @@
     }
 
     const userPushInfoPromise = generateNotifUserInfoPromise({
-      pushType: pushTypes.NOTIF,
+      messageNotifyType: messageNotifyTypes.NOTIF_AND_SET_UNREAD,
       devices: userDevices,
       newMessageInfos: messageInfos,
       messageDatas,
@@ -454,7 +454,7 @@
       userID,
     });
     const userRescindInfoPromise = generateNotifUserInfoPromise({
-      pushType: pushTypes.RESCIND,
+      messageNotifyType: messageNotifyTypes.RESCIND,
       devices: userDevices,
       newMessageInfos: messageInfos,
       messageDatas,
diff --git a/lib/push/send-utils.js b/lib/push/send-utils.js
--- a/lib/push/send-utils.js
+++ b/lib/push/send-utils.js
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
   shimUnsupportedRawMessageInfos,
   sortMessageInfoList,
 } from '../shared/message-utils.js';
-import { pushTypes } from '../shared/messages/message-spec.js';
+import { messageNotifyTypes } from '../shared/messages/message-spec.js';
 import { messageSpecs } from '../shared/messages/message-specs.js';
 import {
   notifTextsForMessageInfo,
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@
 
     userPushInfoPromises[userID] = (async () => {
       const pushInfosWithoutSubscriptions = await generateNotifUserInfoPromise({
-        pushType: pushTypes.NOTIF,
+        messageNotifyType: messageNotifyTypes.NOTIF_AND_SET_UNREAD,
         devices: pushUserThreadInfo.devices,
         newMessageInfos,
         messageDatas,
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@
 
     userRescindInfoPromises[userID] = (async () => {
       const pushInfosWithoutSubscriptions = await generateNotifUserInfoPromise({
-        pushType: pushTypes.RESCIND,
+        messageNotifyType: messageNotifyTypes.RESCIND,
         devices: pushUserThreadInfo.devices,
         newMessageInfos,
         messageDatas,
diff --git a/lib/push/utils.js b/lib/push/utils.js
--- a/lib/push/utils.js
+++ b/lib/push/utils.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 import type { Device, ThreadSubscriptionWithRole } from './send-utils.js';
 import { oldValidUsernameRegex } from '../shared/account-utils.js';
 import { isUserMentioned } from '../shared/mention-utils.js';
-import { type PushType } from '../shared/messages/message-spec.js';
+import { type MessageNotifyType } from '../shared/messages/message-spec.js';
 import { messageSpecs } from '../shared/messages/message-specs.js';
 import type { Platform } from '../types/device-types.js';
 import { messageTypes } from '../types/message-types-enum.js';
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@
 }
 
 type GenerateNotifUserInfoPromiseInputData = {
-  +pushType: PushType,
+  +messageNotifyType: MessageNotifyType,
   +devices: $ReadOnlyArray<Device>,
   +newMessageInfos: $ReadOnlyArray<RawMessageInfo>,
   +messageDatas: $ReadOnlyArray<MessageData>,
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@
   messageInfos: Array<RawMessageInfo>,
 }> {
   const {
-    pushType,
+    messageNotifyType,
     devices,
     newMessageInfos,
     messageDatas,
@@ -139,14 +139,14 @@
         }
 
         const { type } = messageInfo;
-        const { generatesNotifs } = messageSpecs[type];
+        const { getMessageNotifyType } = messageSpecs[type];
 
-        if (!generatesNotifs) {
+        if (!getMessageNotifyType) {
           return undefined;
         }
 
         const messageData = messageDatas[messageIndex];
-        const doesGenerateNotif = await generatesNotifs(
+        const thisMessageNotifyType = await getMessageNotifyType(
           messageInfo,
           messageData,
           {
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@
           },
         );
 
-        return doesGenerateNotif === pushType
+        return thisMessageNotifyType === messageNotifyType
           ? { messageInfo, messageData }
           : undefined;
       }),
diff --git a/lib/shared/messages/change-role-message-spec.js b/lib/shared/messages/change-role-message-spec.js
--- a/lib/shared/messages/change-role-message-spec.js
+++ b/lib/shared/messages/change-role-message-spec.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   type CreateMessageInfoParams,
   type MessageSpec,
   type NotificationTextsParams,
-  pushTypes,
+  messageNotifyTypes,
   type RobotextParams,
 } from './message-spec.js';
 import { joinResult } from './utils.js';
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@
     );
   },
 
-  generatesNotifs: async () => pushTypes.NOTIF,
+  getMessageNotifyType: async () => messageNotifyTypes.NOTIF_AND_SET_UNREAD,
 
   canBeSidebarSource: true,
 
diff --git a/lib/shared/messages/change-settings-message-spec.js b/lib/shared/messages/change-settings-message-spec.js
--- a/lib/shared/messages/change-settings-message-spec.js
+++ b/lib/shared/messages/change-settings-message-spec.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 import {
   type MessageSpec,
   type NotificationTextsParams,
-  pushTypes,
+  messageNotifyTypes,
   type RobotextParams,
 } from './message-spec.js';
 import { joinResult } from './utils.js';
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@
       );
     },
 
-    generatesNotifs: async () => pushTypes.NOTIF,
+    getMessageNotifyType: async () => messageNotifyTypes.NOTIF_AND_SET_UNREAD,
 
     canBeSidebarSource: true,
 
diff --git a/lib/shared/messages/create-entry-message-spec.js b/lib/shared/messages/create-entry-message-spec.js
--- a/lib/shared/messages/create-entry-message-spec.js
+++ b/lib/shared/messages/create-entry-message-spec.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 import invariant from 'invariant';
 
-import { type MessageSpec, pushTypes } from './message-spec.js';
+import { type MessageSpec, messageNotifyTypes } from './message-spec.js';
 import { joinResult } from './utils.js';
 import { messageTypes } from '../../types/message-types-enum.js';
 import type {
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@
     return joinResult(rawMessageInfo.creatorID, rawMessageInfo.entryID);
   },
 
-  generatesNotifs: async () => pushTypes.NOTIF,
+  getMessageNotifyType: async () => messageNotifyTypes.NOTIF_AND_SET_UNREAD,
 
   canBeSidebarSource: true,
 
diff --git a/lib/shared/messages/create-sidebar-message-spec.js b/lib/shared/messages/create-sidebar-message-spec.js
--- a/lib/shared/messages/create-sidebar-message-spec.js
+++ b/lib/shared/messages/create-sidebar-message-spec.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   type CreateMessageInfoParams,
   type MessageSpec,
   type NotificationTextsParams,
-  pushTypes,
+  messageNotifyTypes,
   type RobotextParams,
 } from './message-spec.js';
 import { joinResult } from './utils.js';
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@
       return joinResult(messageTypes.CREATE_SIDEBAR, rawMessageInfo.threadID);
     },
 
-    generatesNotifs: async () => pushTypes.NOTIF,
+    getMessageNotifyType: async () => messageNotifyTypes.NOTIF_AND_SET_UNREAD,
 
     userIDs(
       rawMessageInfo: RawCreateSidebarMessageInfo,
diff --git a/lib/shared/messages/create-sub-thread-message-spec.js b/lib/shared/messages/create-sub-thread-message-spec.js
--- a/lib/shared/messages/create-sub-thread-message-spec.js
+++ b/lib/shared/messages/create-sub-thread-message-spec.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   type CreateMessageInfoParams,
   type GeneratesNotifsParams,
   type MessageSpec,
-  pushTypes,
+  messageNotifyTypes,
 } from './message-spec.js';
 import { assertSingleMessageInfo } from './utils.js';
 import { permissionLookup } from '../../permissions/thread-permissions.js';
@@ -155,15 +155,15 @@
       });
     },
 
-    generatesNotifs: async (
+    getMessageNotifyType: async (
       rawMessageInfo: RawCreateSubthreadMessageInfo,
       messageData: CreateSubthreadMessageData,
       params: GeneratesNotifsParams,
     ) => {
       const { userNotMemberOfSubthreads } = params;
       return userNotMemberOfSubthreads.has(rawMessageInfo.childThreadID)
-        ? pushTypes.NOTIF
-        : undefined;
+        ? messageNotifyTypes.NOTIF_AND_SET_UNREAD
+        : messageNotifyTypes.SET_UNREAD;
     },
 
     threadIDs(
diff --git a/lib/shared/messages/create-thread-message-spec.js b/lib/shared/messages/create-thread-message-spec.js
--- a/lib/shared/messages/create-thread-message-spec.js
+++ b/lib/shared/messages/create-thread-message-spec.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 import {
   type CreateMessageInfoParams,
   type MessageSpec,
-  pushTypes,
+  messageNotifyTypes,
   type RobotextParams,
 } from './message-spec.js';
 import { assertSingleMessageInfo } from './utils.js';
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@
     };
   },
 
-  generatesNotifs: async () => pushTypes.NOTIF,
+  getMessageNotifyType: async () => messageNotifyTypes.NOTIF_AND_SET_UNREAD,
 
   userIDs(rawMessageInfo: RawCreateThreadMessageInfo): $ReadOnlyArray<string> {
     return rawMessageInfo.initialThreadState.memberIDs;
diff --git a/lib/shared/messages/delete-entry-message-spec.js b/lib/shared/messages/delete-entry-message-spec.js
--- a/lib/shared/messages/delete-entry-message-spec.js
+++ b/lib/shared/messages/delete-entry-message-spec.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 import invariant from 'invariant';
 
-import { type MessageSpec, pushTypes } from './message-spec.js';
+import { type MessageSpec, messageNotifyTypes } from './message-spec.js';
 import { assertSingleMessageInfo } from './utils.js';
 import { messageTypes } from '../../types/message-types-enum.js';
 import type {
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@
     };
   },
 
-  generatesNotifs: async () => pushTypes.NOTIF,
+  getMessageNotifyType: async () => messageNotifyTypes.NOTIF_AND_SET_UNREAD,
 
   canBeSidebarSource: true,
 
diff --git a/lib/shared/messages/edit-entry-message-spec.js b/lib/shared/messages/edit-entry-message-spec.js
--- a/lib/shared/messages/edit-entry-message-spec.js
+++ b/lib/shared/messages/edit-entry-message-spec.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 import invariant from 'invariant';
 
-import { type MessageSpec, pushTypes } from './message-spec.js';
+import { type MessageSpec, messageNotifyTypes } from './message-spec.js';
 import { joinResult } from './utils.js';
 import { messageTypes } from '../../types/message-types-enum.js';
 import type {
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@
     return joinResult(rawMessageInfo.creatorID, rawMessageInfo.entryID);
   },
 
-  generatesNotifs: async () => pushTypes.NOTIF,
+  getMessageNotifyType: async () => messageNotifyTypes.NOTIF_AND_SET_UNREAD,
 
   canBeSidebarSource: true,
 
diff --git a/lib/shared/messages/message-spec.js b/lib/shared/messages/message-spec.js
--- a/lib/shared/messages/message-spec.js
+++ b/lib/shared/messages/message-spec.js
@@ -60,11 +60,17 @@
   +fetchMessageInfoByID: (messageID: string) => Promise<?RawMessageInfo>,
 };
 
-export const pushTypes = Object.freeze({
-  NOTIF: 'notif',
+export const messageNotifyTypes = Object.freeze({
+  // Set the thread as unread and send a push notif
+  NOTIF_AND_SET_UNREAD: 'notif_and_set_unread',
+  // Set the thread as unread but don't send a push notif. This is the default
+  SET_UNREAD: 'set_unread',
+  // Do not set the thread as unread and don't send a push notif
+  NONE: 'none',
+  // Rescind all notifs with a matching notificationCollapseKey
   RESCIND: 'rescind',
 });
-export type PushType = $Values<typeof pushTypes>;
+export type MessageNotifyType = $Values<typeof messageNotifyTypes>;
 
 export type CreationSideEffectsFunc<RawInfo> = (
   messageInfo: RawInfo,
@@ -117,11 +123,11 @@
     rawMessageInfo: RawInfo,
     messageData: Data,
   ) => ?string,
-  +generatesNotifs?: (
+  +getMessageNotifyType?: (
     rawMessageInfo: RawInfo,
     messageData: Data,
     params: GeneratesNotifsParams,
-  ) => Promise<?PushType>,
+  ) => Promise<MessageNotifyType>,
   +userIDs?: (rawMessageInfo: RawInfo) => $ReadOnlyArray<string>,
   +startsThread?: boolean,
   +threadIDs?: (rawMessageInfo: RawInfo) => $ReadOnlyArray<string>,
diff --git a/lib/shared/messages/multimedia-message-spec.js b/lib/shared/messages/multimedia-message-spec.js
--- a/lib/shared/messages/multimedia-message-spec.js
+++ b/lib/shared/messages/multimedia-message-spec.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 import {
   type MessageSpec,
   type MessageTitleParam,
-  pushTypes,
+  messageNotifyTypes,
   type RawMessageInfoFromServerDBRowParams,
 } from './message-spec.js';
 import { joinResult } from './utils.js';
@@ -354,10 +354,13 @@
     );
   },
 
-  generatesNotifs: async (
+  getMessageNotifyType: async (
     rawMessageInfo: RawMediaMessageInfo | RawImagesMessageInfo,
     messageData: MediaMessageData | ImagesMessageData,
-  ) => (messageData.sidebarCreation ? undefined : pushTypes.NOTIF),
+  ) =>
+    messageData.sidebarCreation
+      ? messageNotifyTypes.SET_UNREAD
+      : messageNotifyTypes.NOTIF_AND_SET_UNREAD,
 
   includedInRepliesCount: true,
 
diff --git a/lib/shared/messages/reaction-message-spec.js b/lib/shared/messages/reaction-message-spec.js
--- a/lib/shared/messages/reaction-message-spec.js
+++ b/lib/shared/messages/reaction-message-spec.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   type GeneratesNotifsParams,
   type MessageSpec,
   type MessageTitleParam,
-  pushTypes,
+  messageNotifyTypes,
 } from './message-spec.js';
 import { assertSingleMessageInfo, joinResult } from './utils.js';
 import type { PlatformDetails } from '../../types/device-types.js';
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@
     );
   },
 
-  generatesNotifs: async (
+  getMessageNotifyType: async (
     rawMessageInfo: RawReactionMessageInfo,
     messageData: ReactionMessageData,
     params: GeneratesNotifsParams,
@@ -213,9 +213,11 @@
     );
 
     if (targetMessageInfo?.creatorID !== notifTargetUserID) {
-      return undefined;
+      return messageNotifyTypes.SET_UNREAD;
     }
-    return action === 'add_reaction' ? pushTypes.NOTIF : pushTypes.RESCIND;
+    return action === 'add_reaction'
+      ? messageNotifyTypes.NOTIF_AND_SET_UNREAD
+      : messageNotifyTypes.RESCIND;
   },
 
   canBeSidebarSource: false,
diff --git a/lib/shared/messages/restore-entry-message-spec.js b/lib/shared/messages/restore-entry-message-spec.js
--- a/lib/shared/messages/restore-entry-message-spec.js
+++ b/lib/shared/messages/restore-entry-message-spec.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 import invariant from 'invariant';
 
-import { type MessageSpec, pushTypes } from './message-spec.js';
+import { type MessageSpec, messageNotifyTypes } from './message-spec.js';
 import { assertSingleMessageInfo } from './utils.js';
 import { messageTypes } from '../../types/message-types-enum.js';
 import type {
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@
     };
   },
 
-  generatesNotifs: async () => pushTypes.NOTIF,
+  getMessageNotifyType: async () => messageNotifyTypes.NOTIF_AND_SET_UNREAD,
 
   canBeSidebarSource: true,
 
diff --git a/lib/shared/messages/sidebar-source-message-spec.js b/lib/shared/messages/sidebar-source-message-spec.js
--- a/lib/shared/messages/sidebar-source-message-spec.js
+++ b/lib/shared/messages/sidebar-source-message-spec.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 import invariant from 'invariant';
 
 import {
-  pushTypes,
+  messageNotifyTypes,
   type CreateMessageInfoParams,
   type MessageSpec,
   type RawMessageInfoFromServerDBRowParams,
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@
     return joinResult(messageTypes.CREATE_SIDEBAR, rawMessageInfo.threadID);
   },
 
-  generatesNotifs: async () => pushTypes.NOTIF,
+  getMessageNotifyType: async () => messageNotifyTypes.NOTIF_AND_SET_UNREAD,
 
   startsThread: true,
 
diff --git a/lib/shared/messages/text-message-spec.js b/lib/shared/messages/text-message-spec.js
--- a/lib/shared/messages/text-message-spec.js
+++ b/lib/shared/messages/text-message-spec.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 import {
   type MessageSpec,
   type NotificationTextsParams,
-  pushTypes,
+  messageNotifyTypes,
   type RawMessageInfoFromServerDBRowParams,
 } from './message-spec.js';
 import { assertSingleMessageInfo, joinResult } from './utils.js';
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@
     return joinResult(messageTypes.CREATE_SIDEBAR, rawMessageInfo.threadID);
   },
 
-  generatesNotifs: async () => pushTypes.NOTIF,
+  getMessageNotifyType: async () => messageNotifyTypes.NOTIF_AND_SET_UNREAD,
 
   includedInRepliesCount: true,
 
diff --git a/lib/shared/messages/unsupported-message-spec.js b/lib/shared/messages/unsupported-message-spec.js
--- a/lib/shared/messages/unsupported-message-spec.js
+++ b/lib/shared/messages/unsupported-message-spec.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 import invariant from 'invariant';
 
-import { pushTypes, type MessageSpec } from './message-spec.js';
+import { messageNotifyTypes, type MessageSpec } from './message-spec.js';
 import { messageTypes } from '../../types/message-types-enum.js';
 import type { ClientDBMessageInfo } from '../../types/message-types.js';
 import {
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@
     return ET`${creator} ${messageInfo.robotext}`;
   },
 
-  generatesNotifs: async () => pushTypes.NOTIF,
+  getMessageNotifyType: async () => messageNotifyTypes.NOTIF_AND_SET_UNREAD,
 
   canBeSidebarSource: true,
 
diff --git a/lib/shared/messages/update-relationship-message-spec.js b/lib/shared/messages/update-relationship-message-spec.js
--- a/lib/shared/messages/update-relationship-message-spec.js
+++ b/lib/shared/messages/update-relationship-message-spec.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
   type CreateMessageInfoParams,
   type MessageSpec,
   type MergeRobotextMessageItemResult,
-  pushTypes,
+  messageNotifyTypes,
 } from './message-spec.js';
 import { assertSingleMessageInfo } from './utils.js';
 import type { RobotextChatMessageInfoItem } from '../../selectors/chat-selectors.js';
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@
       return { merged, body, title, prefix };
     },
 
-    generatesNotifs: async () => pushTypes.NOTIF,
+    getMessageNotifyType: async () => messageNotifyTypes.NOTIF_AND_SET_UNREAD,
 
     canBeSidebarSource: true,
 
diff --git a/native/types/message-types-validator.js b/native/types/message-types-validator.js
--- a/native/types/message-types-validator.js
+++ b/native/types/message-types-validator.js
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
   for (const messageName in messageTypes) {
     const messageType = messageTypes[messageName];
     if (
-      messageSpecs[messageType]?.generatesNotifs &&
+      messageSpecs[messageType]?.getMessageNotifyType &&
       !messageTypesCpp.has(messageType)
     ) {
       missingMessageTypesCpp.push(messageName);