diff --git a/components/item-info.js b/components/item-info.js
index ec0a0958..63129fcd 100644
--- a/components/item-info.js
+++ b/components/item-info.js
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ export default function ItemInfo ({
         </>}
       <Link
         href={`/items/${item.id}`} onClick={(e) => {
-          const viewedAt = commentsViewedAt(item)
+          const viewedAt = commentsViewedAt(item.id)
           if (viewedAt) {
             e.preventDefault()
             router.push(
diff --git a/components/item.js b/components/item.js
index 0ae1d0af..c1892ba4 100644
--- a/components/item.js
+++ b/components/item.js
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ import { useShowModal } from './modal'
 import { BoostHelp } from './adv-post-form'
 
 function onItemClick (e, router, item) {
-  const viewedAt = commentsViewedAt(item)
+  const viewedAt = commentsViewedAt(item.id)
   if (viewedAt) {
     e.preventDefault()
     if (e.ctrlKey || e.metaKey) {
diff --git a/lib/new-comments.js b/lib/new-comments.js
index 20ae8dd4..7578e806 100644
--- a/lib/new-comments.js
+++ b/lib/new-comments.js
@@ -8,20 +8,23 @@ export function commentsViewed (item) {
   }
 }
 
-export function commentsViewedAfterComment (rootId, createdAt) {
-  window.localStorage.setItem(`${COMMENTS_VIEW_PREFIX}:${rootId}`, new Date(createdAt).getTime())
-  const existingRootComments = window.localStorage.getItem(`${COMMENTS_NUM_PREFIX}:${rootId}`) || 0
-  window.localStorage.setItem(`${COMMENTS_NUM_PREFIX}:${rootId}`, existingRootComments + 1)
+export function commentsViewedAt (itemId) {
+  return Number(window.localStorage.getItem(`${COMMENTS_VIEW_PREFIX}:${itemId}`))
 }
 
-export function commentsViewedAt (item) {
-  return window.localStorage.getItem(`${COMMENTS_VIEW_PREFIX}:${item.id}`)
+export function commentsViewedNum (itemId) {
+  return Number(window.localStorage.getItem(`${COMMENTS_NUM_PREFIX}:${itemId}`))
+}
+
+export function commentsViewedAfterComment (rootId, createdAt) {
+  window.localStorage.setItem(`${COMMENTS_VIEW_PREFIX}:${rootId}`, new Date(createdAt).getTime())
+  window.localStorage.setItem(`${COMMENTS_NUM_PREFIX}:${rootId}`, commentsViewedNum(rootId) + 1)
 }
 
 export function newComments (item) {
   if (!item.parentId) {
-    const viewedAt = commentsViewedAt(item)
-    const viewNum = window.localStorage.getItem(`${COMMENTS_NUM_PREFIX}:${item.id}`)
+    const viewedAt = commentsViewedAt(item.id)
+    const viewNum = commentsViewedNum(item.id)
 
     if (viewedAt && viewNum) {
       return viewedAt < new Date(item.lastCommentAt).getTime() || viewNum < item.ncomments