diff --git a/app/actions/views/channel.js b/app/actions/views/channel.js
index 78dff6c8b..ad6bd7b90 100644
--- a/app/actions/views/channel.js
+++ b/app/actions/views/channel.js
@@ -15,12 +15,7 @@ import {
 } from 'mattermost-redux/actions/channels';
 import {getPosts, getPostsSince} from 'mattermost-redux/actions/posts';
 import {getFilesForPost} from 'mattermost-redux/actions/files';
-import {
-    makeDirectChannelVisibleIfNecessary,
-    makeGroupMessageVisibleIfNecessary,
-    savePreferences,
-    deletePreferences
-} from 'mattermost-redux/actions/preferences';
+import {savePreferences, deletePreferences} from 'mattermost-redux/actions/preferences';
 import {getTeamMembersByIds} from 'mattermost-redux/actions/teams';
 import {getProfilesInChannel} from 'mattermost-redux/actions/users';
 import {Constants, Preferences, UsersTypes} from 'mattermost-redux/constants';
@@ -60,25 +55,55 @@ export function loadProfilesAndTeamMembersForDMSidebar(teamId) {
     return async (dispatch, getState) => {
         const state = getState();
         const {currentUserId} = state.entities.users;
-        const {channels} = state.entities.channels;
+        const {channels, myMembers} = state.entities.channels;
         const {myPreferences} = state.entities.preferences;
         const {membersInTeam} = state.entities.teams;
         const dmPrefs = getPreferencesByCategory(myPreferences, Preferences.CATEGORY_DIRECT_CHANNEL_SHOW);
         const gmPrefs = getPreferencesByCategory(myPreferences, Preferences.CATEGORY_GROUP_CHANNEL_SHOW);
         const members = [];
         const loadProfilesForChannels = [];
+        const prefs = [];
+
+        function buildPref(name) {
+            return {
+                user_id: currentUserId,
+                category: Preferences.CATEGORY_DIRECT_CHANNEL_SHOW,
+                name,
+                value: 'true'
+            };
+        }
 
         // Find DM's and GM's that need to be shown
         const directChannels = Object.values(channels).filter((c) => (isDirectChannel(c) || isGroupChannel(c)));
         directChannels.forEach((channel) => {
-            if (isDirectChannel(channel)) {
+            const member = myMembers[channel.id];
+            if (isDirectChannel(channel) && !isDirectChannelVisible(currentUserId, myPreferences, channel) && member.mention_count > 0) {
                 const teammateId = getUserIdFromChannelName(currentUserId, channel.name);
-                makeDirectChannelVisibleIfNecessary(teammateId)(dispatch, getState);
-            } else if (isGroupChannel(channel)) {
-                makeGroupMessageVisibleIfNecessary(channel.id)(dispatch, getState);
+                let pref = dmPrefs.get(teammateId);
+                if (pref) {
+                    pref = {...pref, value: 'true'};
+                } else {
+                    pref = buildPref(teammateId);
+                }
+                dmPrefs.set(teammateId, pref);
+                prefs.push(pref);
+            } else if (isGroupChannel(channel) && !isGroupChannelVisible(myPreferences, channel) && (member.mention_count > 0 || member.msg_count < channel.total_msg_count)) {
+                const id = channel.id;
+                let pref = gmPrefs.get(id);
+                if (pref) {
+                    pref = {...pref, value: 'true'};
+                } else {
+                    pref = buildPref(id);
+                }
+                gmPrefs.set(id, pref);
+                prefs.push(pref);
             }
         });
 
+        if (prefs.length) {
+            savePreferences(prefs)(dispatch, getState);
+        }
+
         for (const [key, pref] of dmPrefs) {
             if (pref.value === 'true') {
                 members.push(key);
@@ -104,7 +129,7 @@ export function loadProfilesAndTeamMembersForDMSidebar(teamId) {
         }
 
         if (membersToLoad.length) {
-            await getTeamMembersByIds(teamId, membersToLoad)(dispatch, getState);
+            getTeamMembersByIds(teamId, membersToLoad)(dispatch, getState);
         }
 
         const actions = [];
diff --git a/app/components/channel_drawer_list/channel_drawer_list_container.js b/app/components/channel_drawer_list/channel_drawer_list_container.js
index 2fc2114be..98c647167 100644
--- a/app/components/channel_drawer_list/channel_drawer_list_container.js
+++ b/app/components/channel_drawer_list/channel_drawer_list_container.js
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ import {
 } from 'app/actions/views/channel';
 
 import {Constants} from 'mattermost-redux/constants';
-import {getCurrentUserRoles} from 'mattermost-redux/selectors/entities/users';
+import {getCurrentUserId, getCurrentUserRoles} from 'mattermost-redux/selectors/entities/users';
 import {showCreateOption} from 'mattermost-redux/utils/channel_utils';
 import {isAdmin, isSystemAdmin} from 'mattermost-redux/utils/user_utils';
 
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ import ChannelDrawerList from './channel_drawer_list';
 
 function mapStateToProps(state, ownProps) {
     const {config, license} = state.entities.general;
-    const roles = getCurrentUserRoles(state);
+    const roles = getCurrentUserId(state) ? getCurrentUserRoles(state) : '';
 
     return {
         canCreatePrivateChannels: showCreateOption(config, license, Constants.PRIVATE_CHANNEL, isAdmin(roles), isSystemAdmin(roles)),
diff --git a/app/components/post/post_container.js b/app/components/post/post_container.js
index 1ad1fdd52..2963e9b04 100644
--- a/app/components/post/post_container.js
+++ b/app/components/post/post_container.js
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ function makeMapStateToProps() {
         const user = getUser(state, ownProps.post.user_id);
         const myPreferences = getMyPreferences(state);
         const {config, license} = state.entities.general;
+        const roles = getCurrentUserId(state) ? getCurrentUserRoles(state) : '';
 
         return {
             ...ownProps,
@@ -34,7 +35,7 @@ function makeMapStateToProps() {
             displayName: displayUsername(user, myPreferences),
             isFlagged: isPostFlagged(ownProps.post.id, myPreferences),
             license,
-            roles: getCurrentUserRoles(state),
+            roles,
             theme: getTheme(state),
             user
         };