diff --git a/core/src/main/java/bisq/core/support/dispute/Dispute.java b/core/src/main/java/bisq/core/support/dispute/Dispute.java
index 7edb0bb5c43..98ed154fbee 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/bisq/core/support/dispute/Dispute.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/bisq/core/support/dispute/Dispute.java
@@ -409,8 +409,7 @@ public void refreshAlertLevel(boolean senderFlag) {
 
     public long unreadMessageCount(boolean senderFlag) {
         return chatMessages.stream()
-                .filter(m -> m.isSenderIsTrader() == senderFlag)
-                .filter(m -> !m.isSystemMessage())
+                .filter(m -> m.isSenderIsTrader() == senderFlag || m.isSystemMessage())
                 .filter(m -> !m.isWasDisplayed())
                 .count();
     }
diff --git a/desktop/src/main/java/bisq/desktop/bisq.css b/desktop/src/main/java/bisq/desktop/bisq.css
index 17a8ba8b468..69dddd84eff 100644
--- a/desktop/src/main/java/bisq/desktop/bisq.css
+++ b/desktop/src/main/java/bisq/desktop/bisq.css
@@ -802,6 +802,10 @@ tree-table-view:focused {
     -fx-cursor: hand;
 }
 
+.alert {
+    -fx-text-fill: -bs-rd-error-red;
+}
+
 .opaque-icon {
     -fx-fill: -bs-color-gray-bbb;
     -fx-opacity: 1;
diff --git a/desktop/src/main/java/bisq/desktop/main/overlays/windows/DisputeSummaryWindow.java b/desktop/src/main/java/bisq/desktop/main/overlays/windows/DisputeSummaryWindow.java
index db15f1832f8..a6ac3ce0ee0 100644
--- a/desktop/src/main/java/bisq/desktop/main/overlays/windows/DisputeSummaryWindow.java
+++ b/desktop/src/main/java/bisq/desktop/main/overlays/windows/DisputeSummaryWindow.java
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ private void addInfoPane() {
                 String status = DisplayUtils.formatDateTime(dispute.getTradePeriodEnd());
                 Label tradePeriodEnd = addConfirmationLabelLabel(gridPane, ++rowIndex, Res.get("disputeSummaryWindow.tradePeriodEnd"), status).second;
                 if (dispute.getTradePeriodEnd().toInstant().isAfter(Instant.now())) {
-                    tradePeriodEnd.getStyleClass().add("version-new"); // highlight field when the trade period is still active
+                    tradePeriodEnd.getStyleClass().add("alert"); // highlight field when the trade period is still active
                 }
             }
             if (dispute.getExtraDataMap() != null && dispute.getExtraDataMap().size() > 0) {