diff --git a/irc/accounts.go b/irc/accounts.go
index cbb600be..79646875 100644
--- a/irc/accounts.go
+++ b/irc/accounts.go
@@ -130,7 +130,8 @@ func (am *AccountManager) createAlwaysOnClients(config *Config) {
 			am.server.AddAlwaysOnClient(
 				account,
 				am.loadChannels(accountName),
-				am.loadLastSeen(accountName),
+				am.loadTimeMap(keyAccountLastSeen, accountName),
+				am.loadTimeMap(keyAccountReadMarkers, accountName),
 				am.loadModes(accountName),
 				am.loadRealname(accountName),
 			)
@@ -675,8 +676,8 @@ func (am *AccountManager) saveTimeMap(account, key string, timeMap map[string]ti
 	}
 }
 
-func (am *AccountManager) loadLastSeen(account string) (lastSeen map[string]time.Time) {
-	key := fmt.Sprintf(keyAccountLastSeen, account)
+func (am *AccountManager) loadTimeMap(baseKey, account string) (lastSeen map[string]time.Time) {
+	key := fmt.Sprintf(baseKey, account)
 	var lsText string
 	am.server.store.Update(func(tx *buntdb.Tx) error {
 		lsText, _ = tx.Get(key)
diff --git a/irc/client.go b/irc/client.go
index 7e2ead9c..debc8b1e 100644
--- a/irc/client.go
+++ b/irc/client.go
@@ -389,7 +389,7 @@ func (server *Server) RunClient(conn IRCConn) {
 	client.run(session)
 }
 
-func (server *Server) AddAlwaysOnClient(account ClientAccount, channelToStatus map[string]alwaysOnChannelStatus, lastSeen map[string]time.Time, uModes modes.Modes, realname string) {
+func (server *Server) AddAlwaysOnClient(account ClientAccount, channelToStatus map[string]alwaysOnChannelStatus, lastSeen, readMarkers map[string]time.Time, uModes modes.Modes, realname string) {
 	now := time.Now().UTC()
 	config := server.Config()
 	if lastSeen == nil && account.Settings.AutoreplayMissed {
@@ -407,12 +407,13 @@ func (server *Server) AddAlwaysOnClient(account ClientAccount, channelToStatus m
 	}
 
 	client := &Client{
-		lastSeen:   lastSeen,
-		lastActive: now,
-		channels:   make(ChannelSet),
-		ctime:      now,
-		languages:  server.Languages().Default(),
-		server:     server,
+		lastSeen:    lastSeen,
+		readMarkers: readMarkers,
+		lastActive:  now,
+		channels:    make(ChannelSet),
+		ctime:       now,
+		languages:   server.Languages().Default(),
+		server:      server,
 
 		username:        username,
 		cloakedHostname: cloakedHostname,
diff --git a/irc/getters.go b/irc/getters.go
index f4b86391..6031659f 100644
--- a/irc/getters.go
+++ b/irc/getters.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 package irc
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"net"
 	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
@@ -493,7 +494,7 @@ func (client *Client) GetReadMarker(cfname string) (result string) {
 	t, ok := client.readMarkers[cfname]
 	client.stateMutex.RUnlock()
 	if ok {
-		return t.Format(IRCv3TimestampFormat)
+		return fmt.Sprintf("timestamp=%s", t.Format(IRCv3TimestampFormat))
 	}
 	return "*"
 }
diff --git a/irc/handlers.go b/irc/handlers.go
index 75f2d54f..43cd00f8 100644
--- a/irc/handlers.go
+++ b/irc/handlers.go
@@ -2770,14 +2770,14 @@ func markReadHandler(server *Server, client *Client, msg ircmsg.Message, rb *Res
 	}
 
 	// "MARKREAD client set command": MARKREAD <target> <timestamp>
-	readTimestamp := msg.Params[1]
+	readTimestamp := strings.TrimPrefix(msg.Params[1], "timestamp=")
 	readTime, err := time.Parse(IRCv3TimestampFormat, readTimestamp)
 	if err != nil {
 		rb.Add(nil, server.name, "FAIL", "MARKREAD", "INVALID_PARAMS", utils.SafeErrorParam(readTimestamp), client.t("Invalid timestamp"))
 		return
 	}
 	result := client.SetReadMarker(cftarget, readTime)
-	readTimestamp = result.Format(IRCv3TimestampFormat)
+	readTimestamp = fmt.Sprintf("timestamp=%s", result.Format(IRCv3TimestampFormat))
 	// inform the originating session whether it was a success or a no-op:
 	rb.Add(nil, server.name, "MARKREAD", unfoldedTarget, readTimestamp)
 	if result.Equal(readTime) {