diff --git a/agent/dashboard/routes.py b/agent/dashboard/routes.py
index 112cbdac..bef2c269 100644
--- a/agent/dashboard/routes.py
+++ b/agent/dashboard/routes.py
@@ -783,9 +783,15 @@ async def api_create_thread(
 @router.get("/threads/{thread_id}")
 async def api_get_thread(
     thread_id: str,
+    mark_viewed: bool = True,
     session: dict[str, Any] = _SESSION_DEP,
 ) -> dict[str, Any]:
-    return await get_dashboard_thread(thread_id, session["sub"], email=session.get("email"))
+    return await get_dashboard_thread(
+        thread_id,
+        session["sub"],
+        email=session.get("email"),
+        mark_viewed=mark_viewed,
+    )
 
 
 @router.post("/threads/{thread_id}/messages")
diff --git a/agent/dashboard/thread_api.py b/agent/dashboard/thread_api.py
index ad3e4a73..43998264 100644
--- a/agent/dashboard/thread_api.py
+++ b/agent/dashboard/thread_api.py
@@ -420,7 +420,7 @@ async def _mark_thread_viewed(
 
 
 async def get_dashboard_thread(
-    thread_id: str, login: str, *, email: str | None = None
+    thread_id: str, login: str, *, email: str | None = None, mark_viewed: bool = True
 ) -> dict[str, Any]:
     client = langgraph_client()
     try:
@@ -456,7 +456,7 @@ async def get_dashboard_thread(
             else None
         ),
     )
-    if status != "running":
+    if mark_viewed and status != "running":
         metadata = await _mark_thread_viewed(
             client,
             thread_id,
diff --git a/tests/test_dashboard_thread_api_activity.py b/tests/test_dashboard_thread_api_activity.py
index 017ec0b7..7393d397 100644
--- a/tests/test_dashboard_thread_api_activity.py
+++ b/tests/test_dashboard_thread_api_activity.py
@@ -83,6 +83,25 @@ async def test_get_dashboard_thread_marks_finished_thread_viewed(monkeypatch) ->
     assert client.threads.thread["metadata"]["last_viewed_run_id"] == "run-1"
 
 
+async def test_get_dashboard_thread_skips_mark_viewed_when_disabled(monkeypatch) -> None:
+    client = FakeClient(
+        {
+            "source": "dashboard",
+            "github_login": "octocat",
+            "latest_run_id": "run-1",
+            "latest_run_status": "success",
+        },
+        "success",
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(thread_api, "langgraph_client", lambda: client)
+
+    result = await thread_api.get_dashboard_thread("tid", "octocat", mark_viewed=False)
+
+    assert result["status"] == "finished"
+    assert result["viewed"] is False
+    assert "last_viewed_run_id" not in client.threads.thread["metadata"]
+
+
 async def test_get_dashboard_thread_does_not_mark_running_thread_viewed(monkeypatch) -> None:
     client = FakeClient(
         {
diff --git a/ui/src/lib/agents/api.ts b/ui/src/lib/agents/api.ts
index 7e87df39..7d695edd 100644
--- a/ui/src/lib/agents/api.ts
+++ b/ui/src/lib/agents/api.ts
@@ -93,8 +93,12 @@ export const agentsApi = {
     agentsRequest<void>(`/schedules/${encodeURIComponent(scheduleId)}`, {
       method: "DELETE",
     }),
-  getThread: (threadId: string) =>
-    agentsRequest<AgentThread>(`/threads/${encodeURIComponent(threadId)}`),
+  getThread: (threadId: string, options?: { markViewed?: boolean }) =>
+    agentsRequest<AgentThread>(
+      `/threads/${encodeURIComponent(threadId)}${
+        options?.markViewed === false ? "?mark_viewed=false" : ""
+      }`
+    ),
   createThread: (body: ThreadCreateRequest) =>
     agentsRequest<AgentThread>("/threads", {
       method: "POST",
diff --git a/ui/src/lib/agents/queries.ts b/ui/src/lib/agents/queries.ts
index ec9307c3..032bdf6f 100644
--- a/ui/src/lib/agents/queries.ts
+++ b/ui/src/lib/agents/queries.ts
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ export function usePrefetchAgentThreadDetails(
     threadIds.forEach((threadId) => {
       void queryClient.prefetchQuery({
         queryKey: agentThreadKeys.detail(threadId),
-        queryFn: () => agentsApi.getThread(threadId),
+        queryFn: () => agentsApi.getThread(threadId, { markViewed: false }),
       })
     })
   }, [activeThreadId, queryClient, threads])
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ export function useAgentThread(threadId: string) {
   return useQuery({
     queryKey: agentThreadKeys.detail(threadId),
     queryFn: () => agentsApi.getThread(threadId),
+    refetchOnMount: "always",
     refetchInterval: (query) => {
       const status = query.state.data?.status
       return status === "running" ? 2000 : false