diff --git a/indra/newview/app_settings/settings.xml b/indra/newview/app_settings/settings.xml
index b9c84b4b5..8e1cda872 100644
--- a/indra/newview/app_settings/settings.xml
+++ b/indra/newview/app_settings/settings.xml
@@ -962,6 +962,17 @@ This should be as low as possible, but too low may break functionality</string>
       <key>Value</key>
       <integer>0</integer>
     </map>
+    <key>ShowUnreadIMsCounts</key>
+    <map>
+      <key>Comment</key>
+      <string>Show the count of unread IMs in the communicate flyout list</string>
+      <key>Persist</key>
+      <integer>1</integer>
+      <key>Type</key>
+      <string>Boolean</string>
+      <key>Value</key>
+      <boolean>1</boolean>
+    </map>
     <key>StatusBarPositionBeforeParcel</key>
     <map>
       <key>Comment</key>
diff --git a/indra/newview/lltoolbar.cpp b/indra/newview/lltoolbar.cpp
index 78d3f21bf..985d27f15 100644
--- a/indra/newview/lltoolbar.cpp
+++ b/indra/newview/lltoolbar.cpp
@@ -389,8 +389,26 @@ void LLToolBar::updateCommunicateList()
 		LLFloaterIMPanel* im_floaterp = (LLFloaterIMPanel*)floater_handle_it->get();
 		if (im_floaterp)
 		{
-			std::string floater_title = im_floaterp->getNumUnreadMessages() > 0 ? "*" : "";
+			static LLCachedControl<bool> show_counts("ShowUnreadIMsCounts", true);
+			S32 count = im_floaterp->getNumUnreadMessages();
+			std::string floater_title;
+			if (count > 0) floater_title = "*";
 			floater_title.append(im_floaterp->getShortTitle());
+			if (show_counts && count > 0)
+			{
+				floater_title += " - ";
+				if (count > 1)
+				{
+					LLStringUtil::format_map_t args;
+					args["COUNT"] = llformat("%d", count);
+					floater_title += getString("IMs", args);
+				}
+				else
+				{
+					floater_title += getString("IM");
+				}
+			}
+
 			itemp = communicate_button->add(floater_title, im_floaterp->getSessionID(), ADD_TOP);
 			if (im_floaterp  == frontmost_floater)
 			{
diff --git a/indra/newview/skins/default/xui/en-us/panel_toolbar.xml b/indra/newview/skins/default/xui/en-us/panel_toolbar.xml
index 4c6b39881..8f86616e4 100644
--- a/indra/newview/skins/default/xui/en-us/panel_toolbar.xml
+++ b/indra/newview/skins/default/xui/en-us/panel_toolbar.xml
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" standalone="yes" ?>
 <panel background_opaque="true" background_visible="true" bottom="0" can_close="true" can_minimize="false" can_resize="false" follows="left|right|bottom" height="28" name="toolbar" width="1024">    
   <string name="Redock Windows">Redock Windows</string>
+  <string name="IMs">[COUNT] IMs</string>
+  <string name="IM">1 IM</string>
   <panel bottom="0" filename="panel_bg_toolbar.xml" height="28" left="0" width="1024"/>
   <layout_stack name="toolbar_stack" follows="left|right|bottom|top" bottom="2" left="1" width="1022" height="26" min_width="200" orientation="horizontal" border_size="0">
 	  <layout_panel name="panel1" height="2" width="2" auto_resize="false" user_resize="false">