diff --git a/message/output/popup/amd/build/notification_popover_controller.min.js b/message/output/popup/amd/build/notification_popover_controller.min.js
index 00e753760df..4d099a4c171 100644
--- a/message/output/popup/amd/build/notification_popover_controller.min.js
+++ b/message/output/popup/amd/build/notification_popover_controller.min.js
@@ -1 +1 @@
-define(["jquery","core/ajax","core/templates","core/str","core/url","core/notification","core/custom_interaction_events","core/popover_region_controller","message_popup/notification_repository","message_popup/notification_area_events"],function(a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h,i,j){var k={MARK_ALL_READ_BUTTON:'[data-action="mark-all-read"]',ALL_NOTIFICATIONS_CONTAINER:'[data-region="all-notifications"]',NOTIFICATION:'[data-region="notification-content-item-container"]',UNREAD_NOTIFICATION:'[data-region="notification-content-item-container"].unread',NOTIFICATION_LINK:'[data-action="content-item-link"]',EMPTY_MESSAGE:'[data-region="empty-message"]',COUNT_CONTAINER:'[data-region="count-container"]'},l=function(a){h.call(this,a),this.markAllReadButton=this.root.find(k.MARK_ALL_READ_BUTTON),this.unreadCount=0,this.userId=this.root.attr("data-userid"),this.container=this.root.find(k.ALL_NOTIFICATIONS_CONTAINER),this.limit=20,this.offset=0,this.loadedAll=!1,this.initialLoad=!1,this.loadUnreadNotificationCount()};return l.prototype=Object.create(h.prototype),l.prototype.constructor=l,l.prototype.updateButtonAriaLabel=function(){this.isMenuOpen()?d.get_string("hidenotificationwindow","message").done(function(a){this.menuToggle.attr("aria-label",a)}.bind(this)):this.unreadCount?d.get_string("shownotificationwindowwithcount","message",this.unreadCount).done(function(a){this.menuToggle.attr("aria-label",a)}.bind(this)):d.get_string("shownotificationwindownonew","message").done(function(a){this.menuToggle.attr("aria-label",a)}.bind(this))},l.prototype.getContent=function(){return this.container},l.prototype.getOffset=function(){return this.offset},l.prototype.incrementOffset=function(){this.offset+=this.limit},l.prototype.hasDoneInitialLoad=function(){return this.initialLoad},l.prototype.hasLoadedAllContent=function(){return this.loadedAll},l.prototype.setLoadedAllContent=function(a){this.loadedAll=a},l.prototype.renderUnreadCount=function(){var a=this.root.find(k.COUNT_CONTAINER);this.unreadCount?(a.text(this.unreadCount),a.removeClass("hidden")):a.addClass("hidden")},l.prototype.hideUnreadCount=function(){this.root.find(k.COUNT_CONTAINER).addClass("hidden")},l.prototype.loadUnreadNotificationCount=function(){i.countUnread({useridto:this.userId}).then(function(a){this.unreadCount=a,this.renderUnreadCount(),this.updateButtonAriaLabel()}.bind(this))["catch"](f.exception)},l.prototype.getNotificationElement=function(a){var b=this.root.find(k.NOTIFICATION+'[data-id="'+a+'"]');return 1==b.length?b:null},l.prototype.renderNotifications=function(b,d){var f=[];return a.each(b,function(a,b){var d=this.getOffset()-this.limit;b.viewmoreurl=e.relativeUrl("/message/output/popup/notifications.php",{notificationid:b.id,offset:d});var g=c.render("message_popup/notification_content_item",b).then(function(a,b){return{html:a,js:b}});f.push(g)}.bind(this)),a.when.apply(a,f).then(function(){a.each(arguments,function(a,b){d.append(b.html),c.runTemplateJS(b.js)})})},l.prototype.loadMoreNotifications=function(){if(this.isLoading||this.hasLoadedAllContent())return a.Deferred().resolve();this.startLoading();var b={limit:this.limit,offset:this.getOffset(),useridto:this.userId},c=this.getContent();return i.query(b).then(function(a){var b=a.notifications;return this.unreadCount=a.unreadcount,this.setLoadedAllContent(!b.length||b.length<this.limit),this.initialLoad=!0,this.updateButtonAriaLabel(),!!b.length&&(this.incrementOffset(),this.renderNotifications(b,c))}.bind(this)).always(function(){this.stopLoading()}.bind(this))},l.prototype.markAllAsRead=function(){return this.markAllReadButton.addClass("loading"),i.markAllAsRead({useridto:this.userId}).then(function(){this.unreadCount=0,this.root.find(k.UNREAD_NOTIFICATION).removeClass("unread")}.bind(this)).always(function(){this.markAllReadButton.removeClass("loading")}.bind(this))},l.prototype.markNotificationAsRead=function(a){return!!a.hasClass("unread")&&i.markAsRead(a.attr("data-id")).then(function(){this.unreadCount--,a.removeClass("unread")}.bind(this))},l.prototype.registerEventListeners=function(){g.define(this.root,[g.events.activate]),this.root.on(g.events.activate,k.MARK_ALL_READ_BUTTON,function(a,b){this.markAllAsRead(),a.stopPropagation(),b.originalEvent.preventDefault()}.bind(this)),this.root.on(g.events.activate,k.NOTIFICATION_LINK,function(b){var c=a(b.target).closest(k.NOTIFICATION);this.markNotificationAsRead(c),b.stopPropagation()}.bind(this)),this.root.on(this.events().menuOpened,function(){this.hideUnreadCount(),this.updateButtonAriaLabel(),this.hasDoneInitialLoad()||this.loadMoreNotifications()}.bind(this)),this.root.on(this.events().menuClosed,function(){this.renderUnreadCount(),this.updateButtonAriaLabel()}.bind(this)),this.root.on(this.events().startLoading,function(){this.getContent().attr("aria-busy","true")}.bind(this)),this.root.on(this.events().stopLoading,function(){this.getContent().attr("aria-busy","false")}.bind(this)),this.getContentContainer().on(g.events.scrollBottom,function(){this.isLoading||this.hasLoadedAllContent()||this.loadMoreNotifications()}.bind(this)),g.define(this.getContentContainer(),[g.events.scrollLock]),a(document).on(j.notificationShown,function(a,b){if(!b.read){var c=this.getNotificationElement(b.id);c&&c.removeClass("unread"),this.unreadCount--,this.renderUnreadCount()}}.bind(this))},l});
\ No newline at end of file
+define(["jquery","core/ajax","core/templates","core/str","core/url","core/notification","core/custom_interaction_events","core/popover_region_controller","message_popup/notification_repository","message_popup/notification_area_events"],function(a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h,i,j){var k={MARK_ALL_READ_BUTTON:'[data-action="mark-all-read"]',ALL_NOTIFICATIONS_CONTAINER:'[data-region="all-notifications"]',NOTIFICATION:'[data-region="notification-content-item-container"]',UNREAD_NOTIFICATION:'[data-region="notification-content-item-container"].unread',NOTIFICATION_LINK:'[data-action="content-item-link"]',EMPTY_MESSAGE:'[data-region="empty-message"]',COUNT_CONTAINER:'[data-region="count-container"]'},l=function(a){h.call(this,a),this.markAllReadButton=this.root.find(k.MARK_ALL_READ_BUTTON),this.unreadCount=0,this.userId=this.root.attr("data-userid"),this.container=this.root.find(k.ALL_NOTIFICATIONS_CONTAINER),this.limit=20,this.offset=0,this.loadedAll=!1,this.initialLoad=!1,this.loadUnreadNotificationCount()};return l.prototype=Object.create(h.prototype),l.prototype.constructor=l,l.prototype.updateButtonAriaLabel=function(){this.isMenuOpen()?d.get_string("hidenotificationwindow","message").done(function(a){this.menuToggle.attr("aria-label",a)}.bind(this)):this.unreadCount?d.get_string("shownotificationwindowwithcount","message",this.unreadCount).done(function(a){this.menuToggle.attr("aria-label",a)}.bind(this)):d.get_string("shownotificationwindownonew","message").done(function(a){this.menuToggle.attr("aria-label",a)}.bind(this))},l.prototype.getContent=function(){return this.container},l.prototype.getOffset=function(){return this.offset},l.prototype.incrementOffset=function(){this.offset+=this.limit},l.prototype.hasDoneInitialLoad=function(){return this.initialLoad},l.prototype.hasLoadedAllContent=function(){return this.loadedAll},l.prototype.setLoadedAllContent=function(a){this.loadedAll=a},l.prototype.renderUnreadCount=function(){var a=this.root.find(k.COUNT_CONTAINER);this.unreadCount?(a.text(this.unreadCount),a.removeClass("hidden")):a.addClass("hidden")},l.prototype.hideUnreadCount=function(){this.root.find(k.COUNT_CONTAINER).addClass("hidden")},l.prototype.loadUnreadNotificationCount=function(){i.countUnread({useridto:this.userId}).then(function(a){this.unreadCount=a,this.renderUnreadCount(),this.updateButtonAriaLabel()}.bind(this))["catch"](f.exception)},l.prototype.getNotificationElement=function(a){var b=this.root.find(k.NOTIFICATION+'[data-id="'+a+'"]');return 1==b.length?b:null},l.prototype.renderNotifications=function(b,d){var f=[];return a.each(b,function(a,b){var d=this.getOffset()-this.limit;b.viewmoreurl=e.relativeUrl("/message/output/popup/notifications.php",{notificationid:b.id,offset:d}),b.contexturl=e.relativeUrl("message/output/popup/mark_notification_read.php",{redirecturl:b.contexturl,notificationid:b.id});var g=c.render("message_popup/notification_content_item",b).then(function(a,b){return{html:a,js:b}});f.push(g)}.bind(this)),a.when.apply(a,f).then(function(){a.each(arguments,function(a,b){d.append(b.html),c.runTemplateJS(b.js)})})},l.prototype.loadMoreNotifications=function(){if(this.isLoading||this.hasLoadedAllContent())return a.Deferred().resolve();this.startLoading();var b={limit:this.limit,offset:this.getOffset(),useridto:this.userId},c=this.getContent();return i.query(b).then(function(a){var b=a.notifications;return this.unreadCount=a.unreadcount,this.setLoadedAllContent(!b.length||b.length<this.limit),this.initialLoad=!0,this.updateButtonAriaLabel(),!!b.length&&(this.incrementOffset(),this.renderNotifications(b,c))}.bind(this)).always(function(){this.stopLoading()}.bind(this))},l.prototype.markAllAsRead=function(){return this.markAllReadButton.addClass("loading"),i.markAllAsRead({useridto:this.userId}).then(function(){this.unreadCount=0,this.root.find(k.UNREAD_NOTIFICATION).removeClass("unread")}.bind(this)).always(function(){this.markAllReadButton.removeClass("loading")}.bind(this))},l.prototype.registerEventListeners=function(){g.define(this.root,[g.events.activate]),this.root.on(g.events.activate,k.MARK_ALL_READ_BUTTON,function(a,b){this.markAllAsRead(),a.stopPropagation(),b.originalEvent.preventDefault()}.bind(this)),this.root.on(g.events.activate,k.NOTIFICATION_LINK,function(b){var c=a(b.target).closest(k.NOTIFICATION);c.hasClass("unread")&&(this.unreadCount--,c.removeClass("unread")),b.stopPropagation()}.bind(this)),this.root.on(this.events().menuOpened,function(){this.hideUnreadCount(),this.updateButtonAriaLabel(),this.hasDoneInitialLoad()||this.loadMoreNotifications()}.bind(this)),this.root.on(this.events().menuClosed,function(){this.renderUnreadCount(),this.updateButtonAriaLabel()}.bind(this)),this.root.on(this.events().startLoading,function(){this.getContent().attr("aria-busy","true")}.bind(this)),this.root.on(this.events().stopLoading,function(){this.getContent().attr("aria-busy","false")}.bind(this)),this.getContentContainer().on(g.events.scrollBottom,function(){this.isLoading||this.hasLoadedAllContent()||this.loadMoreNotifications()}.bind(this)),g.define(this.getContentContainer(),[g.events.scrollLock]),a(document).on(j.notificationShown,function(a,b){if(!b.read){var c=this.getNotificationElement(b.id);c&&c.removeClass("unread"),this.unreadCount--,this.renderUnreadCount()}}.bind(this))},l});
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/message/output/popup/amd/src/notification_popover_controller.js b/message/output/popup/amd/src/notification_popover_controller.js
index 62af012cd31..de45501111f 100644
--- a/message/output/popup/amd/src/notification_popover_controller.js
+++ b/message/output/popup/amd/src/notification_popover_controller.js
@@ -237,6 +237,12 @@ define(['jquery', 'core/ajax', 'core/templates', 'core/str', 'core/url',
                 offset: offset,
             });
 
+            // Link to mark read page before loading the actual link.
+            notification.contexturl = URL.relativeUrl('message/output/popup/mark_notification_read.php', {
+                redirecturl: notification.contexturl,
+                notificationid: notification.id,
+            });
+
             var promise = Templates.render('message_popup/notification_content_item', notification)
             .then(function(html, js) {
                 return {html: html, js: js};
@@ -321,26 +327,6 @@ define(['jquery', 'core/ajax', 'core/templates', 'core/str', 'core/url',
             }.bind(this));
     };
 
-    /**
-     * Send a request to the server to mark a single notification as read and update
-     * the unread count and unread notification elements appropriately.
-     *
-     * @param {jQuery} element
-     * @return {Promise|boolean}
-     * @method markAllAsRead
-     */
-    NotificationPopoverController.prototype.markNotificationAsRead = function(element) {
-        if (!element.hasClass('unread')) {
-            return false;
-        }
-
-        return NotificationRepo.markAsRead(element.attr('data-id'))
-            .then(function() {
-                this.unreadCount--;
-                element.removeClass('unread');
-            }.bind(this));
-    };
-
     /**
      * Add all of the required event listeners for this notification popover.
      *
@@ -361,7 +347,12 @@ define(['jquery', 'core/ajax', 'core/templates', 'core/str', 'core/url',
         // Mark individual notification read if the user activates it.
         this.root.on(CustomEvents.events.activate, SELECTORS.NOTIFICATION_LINK, function(e) {
             var element = $(e.target).closest(SELECTORS.NOTIFICATION);
-            this.markNotificationAsRead(element);
+
+            if (element.hasClass('unread')) {
+                this.unreadCount--;
+                element.removeClass('unread');
+            }
+
             e.stopPropagation();
         }.bind(this));
 
diff --git a/message/output/popup/mark_notification_read.php b/message/output/popup/mark_notification_read.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0d393f4b6f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/message/output/popup/mark_notification_read.php
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+<?php
+// This file is part of Moodle - http://moodle.org/
+//
+// Moodle is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+// it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+// the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// Moodle is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+// GNU General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+// along with Moodle.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+/**
+ * Mark a notification read and redirect to the relevant content.
+ *
+ * @package    message_popup
+ * @copyright  2018 Michael Hawkins
+ * @license    http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html GNU GPL v3 or later
+ */
+
+require_once(__DIR__ . '/../../../config.php');
+
+require_login(null, false);
+
+if (isguestuser()) {
+    redirect($CFG->wwwroot);
+}
+
+$notificationid = required_param('notificationid', PARAM_INT);
+$redirecturl = optional_param('redirecturl', $CFG->wwwroot, PARAM_LOCALURL);
+$notification = $DB->get_record('notifications', array('id' => $notificationid));
+
+// Check notification belongs to this user.
+if ($USER->id != $notification->useridto) {
+    redirect($CFG->wwwroot);
+}
+
+\core_message\api::mark_notification_as_read($notification);
+redirect($redirecturl);