diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/pleroma_api/views/chat_message_reference_view.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/pleroma_api/views/chat_message_reference_view.ex
index ff170e162..f9405aec5 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/pleroma_api/views/chat_message_reference_view.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/pleroma_api/views/chat_message_reference_view.ex
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ def render(
       attachment:
         chat_message["attachment"] &&
           StatusView.render("attachment.json", attachment: chat_message["attachment"]),
-      seen: seen
+      unread: !seen
     }
   end
 
diff --git a/test/web/pleroma_api/views/chat_message_reference_view_test.exs b/test/web/pleroma_api/views/chat_message_reference_view_test.exs
index 00024d52c..b53bd3490 100644
--- a/test/web/pleroma_api/views/chat_message_reference_view_test.exs
+++ b/test/web/pleroma_api/views/chat_message_reference_view_test.exs
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ test "it displays a chat message" do
     assert chat_message[:account_id] == user.id
     assert chat_message[:chat_id]
     assert chat_message[:created_at]
-    assert chat_message[:seen] == true
+    assert chat_message[:unread] == false
     assert match?([%{shortcode: "firefox"}], chat_message[:emojis])
 
     {:ok, activity} = CommonAPI.post_chat_message(recipient, user, "gkgkgk", media_id: upload.id)
@@ -57,6 +57,6 @@ test "it displays a chat message" do
     assert chat_message_two[:account_id] == recipient.id
     assert chat_message_two[:chat_id] == chat_message[:chat_id]
     assert chat_message_two[:attachment]
-    assert chat_message_two[:seen] == false
+    assert chat_message_two[:unread] == true
   end
 end