diff --git a/app/controllers/notifications_controller.rb b/app/controllers/notifications_controller.rb
index 07853afed210205fcec272f140a1c1084cd9a2c9..c2e0e5a7994fc4a597cec812b28ab985a8e7420b 100644
--- a/app/controllers/notifications_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/notifications_controller.rb
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ class NotificationsController < VannaController
   def update(opts=params)
     note = Notification.where(:recipient_id => current_user.id, :id => opts[:id]).first
     if note
-      note.update_attributes(:unread => opts[:unread] || false )
+      note.update_attributes(:unread => opts[:unread].to_s == "true" )
       {}
     else
       Response.new :status => 404