diff --git a/engine/src/main/kotlin/io/flamenet/e2e/Vault.kt b/engine/src/main/kotlin/io/flamenet/e2e/Vault.kt
index 2893872..f1a975e 100644
--- a/engine/src/main/kotlin/io/flamenet/e2e/Vault.kt
+++ b/engine/src/main/kotlin/io/flamenet/e2e/Vault.kt
@@ -1381,9 +1381,23 @@ class Vault(
         return (0 until array.length()).map { array.optString(it) }.filter { it.isNotEmpty() }.toSet()
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Write the unread marks, minus any off-the-record thread.
+     *
+     * The filter is here rather than at the call site for the reason the call
+     * site gives for being a chokepoint: a later caller cannot forget it. A
+     * thread id for a user conversation is `user:<id>`, so an unfiltered save
+     * put the peer's id on disk for a conversation §6.28 says is gone when the
+     * app closes, and [saveOffTheRecord] says keeps the setting and nothing
+     * else.
+     *
+     * Nothing is lost by dropping them. An off-the-record thread holds no
+     * lines at rest, so a restored mark would badge a conversation with
+     * nothing in it.
+     */
     fun saveUnreadThreads(ids: Set<String>) {
         val array = org.json.JSONArray()
-        ids.sorted().forEach { array.put(it) }
+        ids.filterNot { offTheRecord(it) }.sorted().forEach { array.put(it) }
         writeJson(UNREAD_THREADS, JSONObject().put("ids", array))
     }
 
diff --git a/engine/src/test/kotlin/io/flamenet/e2e/OffTheRecordUnreadMarksTest.kt b/engine/src/test/kotlin/io/flamenet/e2e/OffTheRecordUnreadMarksTest.kt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..54d714c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/engine/src/test/kotlin/io/flamenet/e2e/OffTheRecordUnreadMarksTest.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+package io.flamenet.e2e
+
+import javax.crypto.KeyGenerator
+import javax.crypto.SecretKey
+import kotlin.test.Test
+import kotlin.test.assertEquals
+import kotlin.test.assertFalse
+import kotlin.test.assertTrue
+
+/**
+ * An unread mark for an off-the-record thread never reaches the vault.
+ *
+ * `saveOffTheRecord` says the setting is kept and only the setting. A thread
+ * id for a user conversation is `user:<id>`, so saving the unread set
+ * unfiltered put the peer's id on disk for a conversation §6.28 says is gone
+ * when the app closes, and brought it back at the next launch.
+ *
+ * The same fault the pins had, on the set the view model persists at its one
+ * chokepoint. Being the only write site is what makes it the right place to
+ * filter, not a reason the filter was unnecessary.
+ */
+class OffTheRecordUnreadMarksTest {
+    private class MapStorage : Vault.Storage {
+        val records = LinkedHashMap<String, ByteArray>()
+
+        override fun read(name: String) = records[name]
+
+        override fun write(
+            name: String,
+            bytes: ByteArray,
+        ) {
+            records[name] = bytes
+        }
+
+        override fun delete(name: String) {
+            records.remove(name)
+        }
+
+        override fun names() = records.keys.toList()
+    }
+
+    private fun key(): SecretKey = KeyGenerator.getInstance("AES").apply { init(256) }.generateKey()
+
+    private val secret = "user:7"
+    private val ordinary = "user:8"
+
+    @Test
+    fun `an off the record thread is left out of the saved marks`() {
+        val storage = MapStorage()
+        val k = key()
+        Vault(storage, k).apply {
+            saveOffTheRecord(secret, true)
+            saveUnreadThreads(setOf(secret, ordinary))
+        }
+
+        val restored = Vault(storage, k).unreadThreads()
+        assertFalse(secret in restored, "the off-the-record thread id was written to the vault")
+        assertTrue(ordinary in restored, "an ordinary conversation stopped being badged")
+        assertEquals(1, restored.size)
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `nothing is dropped when no thread is off the record`() {
+        val storage = MapStorage()
+        val k = key()
+        Vault(storage, k).saveUnreadThreads(setOf(secret, ordinary))
+        assertEquals(setOf(secret, ordinary), Vault(storage, k).unreadThreads())
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Turning it on does not retroactively remove a mark already written, but
+     * the next save must drop it: the set is rewritten whole every time.
+     */
+    @Test
+    fun `the next save after turning it on clears the mark`() {
+        val storage = MapStorage()
+        val k = key()
+        val v = Vault(storage, k)
+        v.saveUnreadThreads(setOf(secret, ordinary))
+        assertTrue(secret in Vault(storage, k).unreadThreads())
+
+        v.saveOffTheRecord(secret, true)
+        v.saveUnreadThreads(setOf(secret, ordinary))
+        assertFalse(secret in Vault(storage, k).unreadThreads())
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `a group thread has no off the record setting and passes through`() {
+        val storage = MapStorage()
+        val k = key()
+        Vault(storage, k).saveUnreadThreads(setOf("group:g-1"))
+        assertTrue("group:g-1" in Vault(storage, k).unreadThreads())
+    }
+}