diff --git a/lib/api/messages.js b/lib/api/messages.js
index 8b38eb97..ba3af107 100644
--- a/lib/api/messages.js
+++ b/lib/api/messages.js
@@ -16,11 +16,11 @@ module.exports = (db, server, messageHandler) => {
         const schema = Joi.object().keys({
             user: Joi.string().hex().lowercase().length(24).required(),
             mailbox: Joi.string().hex().lowercase().length(24).required(),
-            limit: Joi.number().default(20).min(1).max(250),
-            order: Joi.any().allow(['asc', 'desc']).default('desc'),
-            next: Joi.string().alphanum().max(100),
-            prev: Joi.string().alphanum().max(100),
-            page: Joi.number().default(1)
+            limit: Joi.number().empty('').default(20).min(1).max(250),
+            order: Joi.any().empty('').allow(['asc', 'desc']).default('desc'),
+            next: Joi.string().empty('').alphanum().max(100),
+            previous: Joi.string().empty('').alphanum().max(100),
+            page: Joi.number().empty('').default(1)
         });
 
         req.query.user = req.params.user;
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ module.exports = (db, server, messageHandler) => {
         let limit = result.value.limit;
         let page = result.value.page;
         let pageNext = result.value.next;
-        let pagePrev = result.value.prev;
+        let pagePrevious = result.value.previous;
         let sortAscending = result.value.order === 'asc';
 
         db.database.collection('mailboxes').findOne({
@@ -106,8 +106,8 @@ module.exports = (db, server, messageHandler) => {
 
                 if (pageNext) {
                     opts.next = pageNext;
-                } else if (pagePrev) {
-                    opts.prev = pagePrev;
+                } else if (pagePrevious) {
+                    opts.previous = pagePrevious;
                 }
 
                 MongoPaging.find(db.users.collection('messages'), opts, (err, result) => {
@@ -142,7 +142,9 @@ module.exports = (db, server, messageHandler) => {
                         total,
                         page,
                         prev: prevUrl,
+                        previousCursor: result.hasPrevious ? result.previous : false,
                         next: nextUrl,
+                        nextCursor: result.hasNext ? result.next : false,
                         specialUse: mailboxData.specialUse,
                         results: (result.results || []).map(messageData => {
                             let parsedHeader = (messageData.mimeTree && messageData.mimeTree.parsedHeader) || {};
@@ -351,13 +353,18 @@ module.exports = (db, server, messageHandler) => {
             user: Joi.string().hex().lowercase().length(24).required(),
             mailbox: Joi.string().hex().lowercase().length(24).required(),
             message: Joi.number().min(1).required(),
-            replaceCidLinks: Joi.boolean().truthy(['Y', 'true', 'yes', 1]).default(false)
+            replaceCidLinks: Joi.boolean().truthy(['Y', 'true', 'yes', 1]).default(false),
+            markAsSeen: Joi.boolean().truthy(['Y', 'true', 'yes', 1]).default(false)
         });
 
         if (req.query.replaceCidLinks) {
             req.params.replaceCidLinks = req.query.replaceCidLinks;
         }
 
+        if (req.query.markAsSeen) {
+            req.params.markAsSeen = req.query.markAsSeen;
+        }
+
         const result = Joi.validate(req.params, schema, {
             abortEarly: false,
             convert: true
@@ -474,30 +481,49 @@ module.exports = (db, server, messageHandler) => {
                     );
             }
 
-            res.json({
-                success: true,
-                id: message,
-                from: from[0],
-                replyTo,
-                to,
-                cc,
-                subject: messageData.subject,
-                messageId: messageData.msgid,
-                date: messageData.hdate.toISOString(),
-                list,
-                expires,
-                seen: !messageData.unseen,
-                deleted: !messageData.undeleted,
-                flagged: messageData.flagged,
-                draft: messageData.draft,
-                html: messageData.html,
-                attachments: (messageData.attachments || []).map(attachment => {
-                    attachment.url = server.router.render('attachment', { user, mailbox, message, attachment: attachment.id });
-                    return attachment;
-                }),
-                raw: server.router.render('attachment', { user, mailbox, message })
+            let ensureSeen = done => {
+                if (!result.value.markAsSeen || !messageData.unseen) {
+                    return done();
+                }
+                // we need to mark this message as seen
+                return messageHandler.update(user, mailbox, message, { seen: true }, err => {
+                    if (err) {
+                        res.json({
+                            error: err.message
+                        });
+                        return next();
+                    }
+                    messageData.unseen = false;
+                    done();
+                });
+            };
+
+            ensureSeen(() => {
+                res.json({
+                    success: true,
+                    id: message,
+                    from: from[0],
+                    replyTo,
+                    to,
+                    cc,
+                    subject: messageData.subject,
+                    messageId: messageData.msgid,
+                    date: messageData.hdate.toISOString(),
+                    list,
+                    expires,
+                    seen: !messageData.unseen,
+                    deleted: !messageData.undeleted,
+                    flagged: messageData.flagged,
+                    draft: messageData.draft,
+                    html: messageData.html,
+                    attachments: (messageData.attachments || []).map(attachment => {
+                        attachment.url = server.router.render('attachment', { user, mailbox, message, attachment: attachment.id });
+                        return attachment;
+                    }),
+                    raw: server.router.render('raw', { user, mailbox, message })
+                });
+                return next();
             });
-            return next();
         });
     });
 
diff --git a/lib/message-handler.js b/lib/message-handler.js
index 6383b374..27df7e83 100644
--- a/lib/message-handler.js
+++ b/lib/message-handler.js
@@ -1141,7 +1141,7 @@ class MessageHandler {
                             uid: messageData.uid,
                             flags: messageData.flags,
                             message: messageData._id,
-                            unseenChange: !!changes.unseen
+                            unseenChange: !!changes.seen
                         });
 
                         if (notifyEntries.length >= consts.BULK_BATCH_SIZE) {