diff --git a/docs/signals.txt b/docs/signals.txt
index 9fa98ba3..5edbb9d4 100644
--- a/docs/signals.txt
+++ b/docs/signals.txt
@@ -291,3 +291,6 @@ Text FE
 
 gui-printtext.c:
  "beep"
+
+statusbar-items.c:
+ "mail counter"
diff --git a/src/fe-text/statusbar-items.c b/src/fe-text/statusbar-items.c
index 7031a071..95fe95bb 100644
--- a/src/fe-text/statusbar-items.c
+++ b/src/fe-text/statusbar-items.c
@@ -475,6 +475,10 @@ static int get_mail_count(void)
 	}
 
 	fclose(f);
+
+	if (mail_last_count != count)
+		signal_emit("mail counter", 0);
+
 	mail_last_count = count;
 	return count;
 }