diff --git a/database.sql b/database.sql
index 13722d3c0c..684491685e 100644
--- a/database.sql
+++ b/database.sql
@@ -571,6 +571,7 @@ CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS `item` (
   KEY `author-name` (`author-name`),
   KEY `uid_commented` (`uid`, `commented`),
   KEY `uid_created` (`uid`, `created`),
+  KEY `uid_unseen` (`uid`, `unseen`),
   FULLTEXT KEY `title` (`title`),
   FULLTEXT KEY `body` (`body`),
   FULLTEXT KEY `allow_cid` (`allow_cid`),
diff --git a/update.php b/update.php
index 879d7017d4..2d80ee369d 100644
--- a/update.php
+++ b/update.php
@@ -1338,7 +1338,13 @@ function update_1152() {
 }
 
 function update_1153() {
-	$r = q("CREATE INDEX `uid_commented` ON `item` (`uid`, `commented`);  CREATE INDEX `uid_created` ON `item` (`uid`, `created`)");
+	$r = q("CREATE INDEX `uid_commented` ON `item` (`uid`, `commented`)");
+	if(! $r)
+		return UPDATE_FAILED;
+	$r = q("CREATE INDEX `uid_created` ON `item` (`uid`, `created`)");
+	if(! $r)
+		return UPDATE_FAILED;
+	$r = q("CREATE INDEX `uid_unseen` ON `item` (`uid`, `unseen`)");
 	if(! $r)
 		return UPDATE_FAILED;
 	return UPDATE_SUCCESS;