diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/side_effects.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/side_effects.ex
index c8b675d54..8e64b4615 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/side_effects.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/side_effects.ex
@@ -117,7 +117,11 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.ActivityPub.SideEffects do
       [[actor, recipient], [recipient, actor]]
       |> Enum.each(fn [user, other_user] ->
         if user.local do
-          Chat.bump_or_create(user.id, other_user.ap_id)
+          if user.ap_id == actor.ap_id do
+            Chat.get_or_create(user.id, other_user.ap_id)
+          else
+            Chat.bump_or_create(user.id, other_user.ap_id)
+          end
         end
       end)
 
diff --git a/test/web/activity_pub/side_effects_test.exs b/test/web/activity_pub/side_effects_test.exs
index 148fa4442..37d7491ca 100644
--- a/test/web/activity_pub/side_effects_test.exs
+++ b/test/web/activity_pub/side_effects_test.exs
@@ -284,6 +284,27 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.ActivityPub.SideEffectsTest do
       assert Repo.get_by(Notification, user_id: recipient.id, activity_id: create_activity.id)
     end
 
+    test "it creates a Chat for the local users and bumps the unread count, except for the author" do
+      author = insert(:user, local: true)
+      recipient = insert(:user, local: true)
+
+      {:ok, chat_message_data, _meta} = Builder.chat_message(author, recipient.ap_id, "hey")
+
+      {:ok, create_activity_data, _meta} =
+        Builder.create(author, chat_message_data["id"], [recipient.ap_id])
+
+      {:ok, create_activity, _meta} = ActivityPub.persist(create_activity_data, local: false)
+
+      {:ok, _create_activity, _meta} =
+        SideEffects.handle(create_activity, local: false, object_data: chat_message_data)
+
+      chat = Chat.get(author.id, recipient.ap_id)
+      assert chat.unread == 0
+
+      chat = Chat.get(recipient.id, author.ap_id)
+      assert chat.unread == 1
+    end
+
     test "it creates a Chat for the local users and bumps the unread count" do
       author = insert(:user, local: false)
       recipient = insert(:user, local: true)