diff --git a/docs/comlink_channel.3.scd b/docs/comlink_channel.3.scd
index 02b8ff5..0b01a7e 100644
--- a/docs/comlink_channel.3.scd
+++ b/docs/comlink_channel.3.scd
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ comlink_channel - a lua type representing an IRC channel
 A *channel* represents an IRC channel.
 
 *channel:mark_read*
-	Mark this channel as read. This will set the READMARKER to the time of
-	the last received message.
+	Mark this channel as read. This will update the unread indicator to the
+	position of the last read message.
 
 *channel:send_msg* 
 	A method on *channel* which accepts a string (_msg_). _Msg_ is sent to
diff --git a/src/lua.zig b/src/lua.zig
index bb6d624..8d22a41 100644
--- a/src/lua.zig
+++ b/src/lua.zig
@@ -461,9 +461,7 @@ const Channel = struct {
         const lua_type = lua.getField(1, "_ptr"); // [table, lightuserdata]
         lua.argCheck(lua_type == .light_userdata, 2, "expected lightuserdata");
         const channel = lua.toUserdata(irc.Channel, 2) catch unreachable;
-        channel.markRead() catch |err| {
-            std.log.err("couldn't mark channel as read: {}", .{err});
-        };
+        channel.last_read_indicator = channel.last_read;
         lua.pop(2); // []
         return 0;
     }