diff --git a/lib/utils/create-farcaster-raw-thread-info.js b/lib/utils/create-farcaster-raw-thread-info.js
--- a/lib/utils/create-farcaster-raw-thread-info.js
+++ b/lib/utils/create-farcaster-raw-thread-info.js
@@ -140,13 +140,15 @@
         ? permissionBlobs.Admins
         : permissionBlobs.Members;
   }
+
+  const background = options.category === 'request' || currentUserOptions.muted;
   const currentUser: ThreadCurrentUserInfo =
     minimallyEncodeThreadCurrentUserInfo({
       role: currentUserRole?.id,
       permissions: createPermissionsInfo(permissionsBlob, threadID, threadType),
       subscription: {
-        home: !currentUserOptions.muted,
-        pushNotifs: !currentUserOptions.muted,
+        home: !background,
+        pushNotifs: !background,
       },
       unread: currentUserOptions.unread,
     });
@@ -381,14 +383,17 @@
   const threadIsMuted =
     !threadInfo.currentUser.subscription.home ||
     !threadInfo.currentUser.subscription.pushNotifs;
-  if (threadIsMuted !== conversation.viewerContext.muted) {
+  const shouldBeMuted =
+    conversation.viewerContext.category === 'request' ||
+    conversation.viewerContext.muted;
+  if (threadIsMuted !== shouldBeMuted) {
     updatedThreadInfo = {
       ...updatedThreadInfo,
       currentUser: {
         ...updatedThreadInfo.currentUser,
         subscription: {
-          home: !conversation.viewerContext.muted,
-          pushNotifs: !conversation.viewerContext.muted,
+          home: !shouldBeMuted,
+          pushNotifs: !shouldBeMuted,
         },
       },
     };