diff --git a/server/src/graphql.rs b/server/src/graphql.rs
index d416f91..90c6082 100644
--- a/server/src/graphql.rs
+++ b/server/src/graphql.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
-
 use async_graphql::{
-    connection::{Connection},
-    Context, EmptySubscription, Enum, Error, FieldResult, Object, Schema, SimpleObject, Union,
+    connection::Connection, Context, EmptySubscription, Enum, Error, FieldResult, Object, Schema,
+    SimpleObject, Union,
 };
 use log::info;
 use notmuch::Notmuch;
@@ -273,7 +272,7 @@ impl Mutation {
         unread: bool,
     ) -> Result<bool, Error> {
         let nm = ctx.data_unchecked::<Notmuch>();
-        info!("set_read_status({unread})");
+        info!("set_read_status({query}, {unread})");
         if unread {
             nm.tag_add("unread", &format!("{query}"))?;
         } else {
diff --git a/server/src/nm.rs b/server/src/nm.rs
index af1e6c8..70fdecd 100644
--- a/server/src/nm.rs
+++ b/server/src/nm.rs
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ pub async fn search(
                 .0
                 .into_iter()
                 .map(|ts| ThreadSummary {
-                    thread: ts.thread,
+                    thread: format!("thread:{}", ts.thread),
                     timestamp: ts.timestamp,
                     date_relative: ts.date_relative,
                     matched: ts.matched,
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ pub async fn thread(
         // TODO(wathiede): parse message and fill out attachments
         let attachments = extract_attachments(&m, &id)?;
         messages.push(Message {
-            id,
+            id: format!("id:{id}"),
             from,
             to,
             cc,
@@ -752,3 +752,16 @@ fn render_content_type_tree(m: &ParsedMail) -> String {
         SKIP_HEADERS.join("\n  ")
     )
 }
+
+pub async fn set_read_status<'ctx>(
+    nm: &Notmuch,
+    query: String,
+    unread: bool,
+) -> Result<bool, ServerError> {
+    if unread {
+        nm.tag_add("unread", &format!("{query}"))?;
+    } else {
+        nm.tag_remove("unread", &format!("{query}"))?;
+    }
+    Ok(true)
+}
diff --git a/web/src/state.rs b/web/src/state.rs
index a3cec65..f1622fe 100644
--- a/web/src/state.rs
+++ b/web/src/state.rs
@@ -372,7 +372,7 @@ pub fn update(msg: Msg, model: &mut Model, orders: &mut impl Orders<Msg>) {
             {
                 let threads = selected_threads
                     .iter()
-                    .map(|tid| format!("thread:{tid}"))
+                    .map(|tid| tid.to_string())
                     .collect::<Vec<_>>()
                     .join(" ");
                 orders
@@ -387,7 +387,7 @@ pub fn update(msg: Msg, model: &mut Model, orders: &mut impl Orders<Msg>) {
             {
                 let threads = selected_threads
                     .iter()
-                    .map(|tid| format!("thread:{tid}"))
+                    .map(|tid| tid.to_string())
                     .collect::<Vec<_>>()
                     .join(" ");
                 orders
@@ -402,7 +402,7 @@ pub fn update(msg: Msg, model: &mut Model, orders: &mut impl Orders<Msg>) {
             {
                 let threads = selected_threads
                     .iter()
-                    .map(|tid| format!("thread:{tid}"))
+                    .map(|tid| tid.to_string())
                     .collect::<Vec<_>>()
                     .join(" ");
                 orders
@@ -417,7 +417,7 @@ pub fn update(msg: Msg, model: &mut Model, orders: &mut impl Orders<Msg>) {
             {
                 let threads = selected_threads
                     .iter()
-                    .map(|tid| format!("thread:{tid}"))
+                    .map(|tid| tid.to_string())
                     .collect::<Vec<_>>()
                     .join(" ");
                 orders
diff --git a/web/src/view/mod.rs b/web/src/view/mod.rs
index 0937cec..5327d6b 100644
--- a/web/src/view/mod.rs
+++ b/web/src/view/mod.rs
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ fn removable_tags_chiclet<'a>(
             "is-grouped-multiline"
         ],
         tags.iter().map(move |tag| {
+            let thread_id = thread_id.to_string();
             let hex = compute_color(tag);
             let style = style! {St::BackgroundColor=>hex};
             let classes = C!["tag", IF!(is_mobile => "is-small")];
@@ -81,7 +82,6 @@ fn removable_tags_chiclet<'a>(
             };
             let tag = tag.clone();
             let rm_tag = tag.clone();
-            let thread_id = format!("thread:{thread_id}");
             div![
                 C!["control"],
                 div![
@@ -592,7 +592,7 @@ fn render_open_header(msg: &ShowThreadQueryThreadMessages) -> Node<Msg> {
             ],
             ev(Ev::Click, move |e| {
                 e.stop_propagation();
-                Msg::SetUnread(format!("id:{id}"), !is_unread)
+                Msg::SetUnread(id, !is_unread)
             })
         ]
     ]
@@ -664,7 +664,7 @@ fn render_closed_header(msg: &ShowThreadQueryThreadMessages) -> Node<Msg> {
                     ],
                     ev(Ev::Click, move |e| {
                         e.stop_propagation();
-                        Msg::SetUnread(format!("id:{id}"), !is_unread)
+                        Msg::SetUnread(id, !is_unread)
                     })
                 ]
             ]
@@ -808,7 +808,8 @@ fn thread(
     });
     let read_thread_id = thread.thread_id.clone();
     let unread_thread_id = thread.thread_id.clone();
-    let spam_thread_id = thread.thread_id.clone();
+    let spam_add_thread_id = thread.thread_id.clone();
+    let spam_unread_thread_id = thread.thread_id.clone();
     div![
         C!["thread"],
         h3![C!["is-size-5"], subject],
@@ -827,20 +828,14 @@ fn thread(
                         attrs! {At::Title => "Mark as read"},
                         span![C!["icon", "is-small"], i![C!["far", "fa-envelope-open"]]],
                         IF!(show_icon_text=>span!["Read"]),
-                        ev(Ev::Click, move |_| Msg::SetUnread(
-                            format!("thread:{read_thread_id}"),
-                            false
-                        )),
+                        ev(Ev::Click, move |_| Msg::SetUnread(read_thread_id, false)),
                     ],
                     button![
                         C!["button", "mark-unread"],
                         attrs! {At::Title => "Mark as unread"},
                         span![C!["icon", "is-small"], i![C!["far", "fa-envelope"]]],
                         IF!(show_icon_text=>span!["Unread"]),
-                        ev(Ev::Click, move |_| Msg::SetUnread(
-                            format!("thread:{unread_thread_id}"),
-                            true
-                        )),
+                        ev(Ev::Click, move |_| Msg::SetUnread(unread_thread_id, true)),
                     ],
                 ],
             ],
@@ -854,8 +849,8 @@ fn thread(
                         span![C!["icon", "is-small"], i![C!["far", "fa-hand"]]],
                         IF!(show_icon_text=>span!["Spam"]),
                         ev(Ev::Click, move |_| Msg::MultiMsg(vec![
-                            Msg::AddTag(format!("thread:{spam_thread_id}"), "Spam".to_string()),
-                            Msg::SetUnread(format!("thread:{spam_thread_id}"), false)
+                            Msg::AddTag(spam_add_thread_id, "Spam".to_string()),
+                            Msg::SetUnread(spam_unread_thread_id, false)
                         ])),
                     ],
                 ],