diff --git a/src/command/command.c b/src/command/command.c
index c57f48a9..b6935daa 100644
--- a/src/command/command.c
+++ b/src/command/command.c
@@ -2250,7 +2250,6 @@ cmd_init(void)
     autocomplete_add(roster_show_ac, "presence");
     autocomplete_add(roster_show_ac, "status");
     autocomplete_add(roster_show_ac, "empty");
-    autocomplete_add(roster_show_ac, "count");
     autocomplete_add(roster_show_ac, "priority");
     autocomplete_add(roster_show_ac, "contacts");
     autocomplete_add(roster_show_ac, "rooms");
diff --git a/src/command/commands.c b/src/command/commands.c
index fb3024da..9447f648 100644
--- a/src/command/commands.c
+++ b/src/command/commands.c
@@ -2224,13 +2224,6 @@ cmd_roster(ProfWin *window, const char *const command, gchar **args)
                 rosterwin_roster();
             }
             return TRUE;
-        } else if (g_strcmp0(args[1], "count") == 0) {
-            cons_show("Roster count enabled");
-            prefs_set_boolean(PREF_ROSTER_COUNT, TRUE);
-            if (conn_status == JABBER_CONNECTED) {
-                rosterwin_roster();
-            }
-            return TRUE;
         } else if (g_strcmp0(args[1], "priority") == 0) {
             cons_show("Roster priority enabled");
             prefs_set_boolean(PREF_ROSTER_PRIORITY, TRUE);
@@ -2299,13 +2292,6 @@ cmd_roster(ProfWin *window, const char *const command, gchar **args)
                 rosterwin_roster();
             }
             return TRUE;
-        } else if (g_strcmp0(args[1], "count") == 0) {
-            cons_show("Roster count disabled");
-            prefs_set_boolean(PREF_ROSTER_COUNT, FALSE);
-            if (conn_status == JABBER_CONNECTED) {
-                rosterwin_roster();
-            }
-            return TRUE;
         } else if (g_strcmp0(args[1], "priority") == 0) {
             cons_show("Roster priority disabled");
             prefs_set_boolean(PREF_ROSTER_PRIORITY, FALSE);
@@ -2381,6 +2367,41 @@ cmd_roster(ProfWin *window, const char *const command, gchar **args)
             return TRUE;
         }
 
+    } else if (g_strcmp0(args[0], "count") == 0) {
+        if (g_strcmp0(args[1], "zero") == 0) {
+            gboolean result = _cmd_set_boolean_preference(args[2], command, "Roster header zero count", PREF_ROSTER_COUNT_ZERO);
+            if (result) {
+                if (conn_status == JABBER_CONNECTED) {
+                    rosterwin_roster();
+                }
+            }
+            return result;
+        } else if (g_strcmp0(args[1], "unread") == 0) {
+            cons_show("Roster header count set to unread");
+            prefs_set_string(PREF_ROSTER_COUNT, "unread");
+            if (conn_status == JABBER_CONNECTED) {
+                rosterwin_roster();
+            }
+            return TRUE;
+        } else if (g_strcmp0(args[1], "items") == 0) {
+            cons_show("Roster header count set to items");
+            prefs_set_string(PREF_ROSTER_COUNT, "items");
+            if (conn_status == JABBER_CONNECTED) {
+                rosterwin_roster();
+            }
+            return TRUE;
+        } else if (g_strcmp0(args[1], "off") == 0) {
+            cons_show("Disabling roster header count");
+            prefs_set_string(PREF_ROSTER_COUNT, "off");
+            if (conn_status == JABBER_CONNECTED) {
+                rosterwin_roster();
+            }
+            return TRUE;
+        } else {
+            cons_bad_cmd_usage(command);
+            return TRUE;
+        }
+
     } else if (g_strcmp0(args[0], "unread") == 0) {
         if (g_strcmp0(args[1], "before") == 0) {
             cons_show("Roster unread message count: before");
diff --git a/src/config/preferences.c b/src/config/preferences.c
index bb85c682..8a15cccd 100644
--- a/src/config/preferences.c
+++ b/src/config/preferences.c
@@ -1112,6 +1112,7 @@ _get_group(preference_t pref)
         case PREF_ROSTER_ORDER:
         case PREF_ROSTER_UNREAD:
         case PREF_ROSTER_COUNT:
+        case PREF_ROSTER_COUNT_ZERO:
         case PREF_ROSTER_PRIORITY:
         case PREF_ROSTER_WRAP:
         case PREF_ROSTER_RESOURCE_JOIN:
@@ -1311,6 +1312,8 @@ _get_key(preference_t pref)
             return "roster.unread";
         case PREF_ROSTER_COUNT:
             return "roster.count";
+        case PREF_ROSTER_COUNT_ZERO:
+            return "roster.count.zero";
         case PREF_ROSTER_PRIORITY:
             return "roster.priority";
         case PREF_ROSTER_WRAP:
@@ -1383,7 +1386,7 @@ _get_default_boolean(preference_t pref)
         case PREF_ROSTER:
         case PREF_ROSTER_OFFLINE:
         case PREF_ROSTER_EMPTY:
-        case PREF_ROSTER_COUNT:
+        case PREF_ROSTER_COUNT_ZERO:
         case PREF_ROSTER_PRIORITY:
         case PREF_ROSTER_RESOURCE_JOIN:
         case PREF_ROSTER_CONTACTS:
@@ -1415,6 +1418,8 @@ _get_default_string(preference_t pref)
             return "all";
         case PREF_ROSTER_BY:
             return "presence";
+        case PREF_ROSTER_COUNT:
+            return "unread";
         case PREF_ROSTER_ORDER:
             return "presence";
         case PREF_ROSTER_UNREAD:
diff --git a/src/config/preferences.h b/src/config/preferences.h
index 61ccbb11..32a924ba 100644
--- a/src/config/preferences.h
+++ b/src/config/preferences.h
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ typedef enum {
     PREF_ROSTER_ORDER,
     PREF_ROSTER_UNREAD,
     PREF_ROSTER_COUNT,
+    PREF_ROSTER_COUNT_ZERO,
     PREF_ROSTER_PRIORITY,
     PREF_ROSTER_WRAP,
     PREF_ROSTER_RESOURCE_JOIN,
diff --git a/src/config/theme.c b/src/config/theme.c
index e04a5d4a..b886f9e2 100644
--- a/src/config/theme.c
+++ b/src/config/theme.c
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ _load_preferences(void)
     _set_boolean_preference("roster.status", PREF_ROSTER_STATUS);
     _set_boolean_preference("roster.empty", PREF_ROSTER_EMPTY);
     _set_boolean_preference("roster.wrap", PREF_ROSTER_WRAP);
-    _set_boolean_preference("roster.count", PREF_ROSTER_COUNT);
+    _set_boolean_preference("roster.count.zero", PREF_ROSTER_COUNT_ZERO);
     _set_boolean_preference("roster.priority", PREF_ROSTER_PRIORITY);
     _set_boolean_preference("roster.contacts", PREF_ROSTER_CONTACTS);
     _set_boolean_preference("roster.rooms", PREF_ROSTER_ROOMS);
@@ -417,6 +417,8 @@ _load_preferences(void)
     _set_string_preference("roster.rooms.unread", PREF_ROSTER_ROOMS_UNREAD);
     _set_string_preference("roster.rooms.pos", PREF_ROSTER_ROOMS_POS);
     _set_string_preference("roster.private", PREF_ROSTER_PRIVATE);
+    _set_string_preference("roster.count", PREF_ROSTER_COUNT);
+
 
     if (g_key_file_has_key(theme, "ui", "occupants.size", NULL)) {
         gint occupants_size = g_key_file_get_integer(theme, "ui", "occupants.size", NULL);
diff --git a/src/ui/console.c b/src/ui/console.c
index a5a9800d..f2c1f35b 100644
--- a/src/ui/console.c
+++ b/src/ui/console.c
@@ -1370,11 +1370,6 @@ cons_roster_setting(void)
     else
         cons_show("Roster empty (/roster)           : hide");
 
-    if (prefs_get_boolean(PREF_ROSTER_COUNT))
-        cons_show("Roster count (/roster)           : show");
-    else
-        cons_show("Roster count (/roster)           : hide");
-
     if (prefs_get_boolean(PREF_ROSTER_PRIORITY))
         cons_show("Roster priority (/roster)        : show");
     else
@@ -1385,6 +1380,19 @@ cons_roster_setting(void)
     else
         cons_show("Roster contacts (/roster)        : hide");
 
+    char *count = prefs_get_string(PREF_ROSTER_COUNT);
+    if (g_strcmp0(count, "off") == 0) {
+        cons_show("Roster count (/roster)           : OFF");
+    } else {
+        cons_show("Roster count (/roster)           : %s", count);
+    }
+    prefs_free_string(count);
+
+    if (prefs_get_boolean(PREF_ROSTER_COUNT_ZERO))
+        cons_show("Roster count zero (/roster)      : ON");
+    else
+        cons_show("Roster count zero (/roster)      : OFF");
+
     char *by = prefs_get_string(PREF_ROSTER_BY);
     cons_show("Roster by (/roster)              : %s", by);
     prefs_free_string(by);