diff --git a/service/actions/websocket.js b/service/actions/websocket.js
index 6d54a4952..3aaceaba6 100644
--- a/service/actions/websocket.js
+++ b/service/actions/websocket.js
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ import {
 } from 'service/constants';
 import {getCurrentChannelStats} from 'service/selectors/entities/channels';
 import {getUserIdFromChannelName} from 'service/utils/channel_utils';
-import {isSystemMessage} from 'service/utils/post_utils';
+import {isSystemMessage, shouldIgnorePost} from 'service/utils/post_utils';
 import EventEmitter from 'service/utils/event_emitter';
 
 export function init(siteUrl, token, optionalWebSocket) {
@@ -224,7 +224,21 @@ async function handleNewPostEvent(msg, dispatch, getState) {
         }
     ]), getState);
 
-    if (userId === users.currentId || post.channel_id === currentChannelId || isSystemMessage(post)) {
+    if (shouldIgnorePost(post)) {
+        // if the post type is in the ignore list we'll do nothing with the read state
+        return;
+    }
+
+    let markAsRead = false;
+    if (userId === users.currentId && !isSystemMessage(post)) {
+        // In case the current user posted the message and that message wasn't triggered by a system message
+        markAsRead = true;
+    } else if (post.channel_id === currentChannelId) {
+        // if the post is for the channel that the user is currently viewing we'll mark the channel as read
+        markAsRead = true;
+    }
+
+    if (markAsRead) {
         markChannelAsRead(post.channel_id)(dispatch, getState);
     } else {
         markChannelAsUnread(post.channel_id, msg.data.mentions)(dispatch, getState);
diff --git a/service/constants/constants.js b/service/constants/constants.js
index 70b191cf1..236953cc5 100644
--- a/service/constants/constants.js
+++ b/service/constants/constants.js
@@ -54,7 +54,31 @@ const FileConstants = {
     WORD_TYPES: ['doc', 'docx']
 };
 
+const PostsTypes = {
+    ADD_REMOVE: 'system_add_remove',
+    ADD_TO_CHANNEL: 'system_add_to_channel',
+    CHANNEL_DELETED: 'system_channel_deleted',
+    DISPLAYNAME_CHANGE: 'system_displayname_change',
+    EPHEMERAL: 'system_ephemeral',
+    HEADER_CHANGE: 'system_header_change',
+    JOIN_CHANNEL: 'system_join_channel',
+    JOIN_LEAVE: 'system_join_leave',
+    LEAVE_CHANNEL: 'system_leave_channel',
+    PURPOSE_CHANGE: 'system_purpose_change',
+    REMOVE_FROM_CHANNEL: 'system_remove_from_channel'
+};
+
 export default {
     ...Constants,
-    ...FileConstants
+    ...FileConstants,
+    ...PostsTypes,
+    IGNORE_POST_TYPES: [
+        PostsTypes.ADD_REMOVE,
+        PostsTypes.ADD_TO_CHANNEL,
+        PostsTypes.CHANNEL_DELETED,
+        PostsTypes.JOIN_LEAVE,
+        PostsTypes.JOIN_CHANNEL,
+        PostsTypes.LEAVE_CHANNEL,
+        PostsTypes.REMOVE_FROM_CHANNEL
+    ]
 };
diff --git a/service/utils/post_utils.js b/service/utils/post_utils.js
index 9c1cb7f00..45a7609af 100644
--- a/service/utils/post_utils.js
+++ b/service/utils/post_utils.js
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ export function isSystemMessage(post) {
     return post.type && post.type.startsWith(Constants.SYSTEM_MESSAGE_PREFIX);
 }
 
+export function shouldIgnorePost(post) {
+    return Constants.IGNORE_POST_TYPES.includes(post.type);
+}
+
 export function addDatesToPostList(posts, indicateNewMessages, currentUserId, lastViewedAt) {
     const out = [];