diff --git a/spec/controlbox.js b/spec/controlbox.js
index 784e9e8db..bba3bacbc 100644
--- a/spec/controlbox.js
+++ b/spec/controlbox.js
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ describe("The Controlbox", function () {
                 .c('active', {'xmlns': 'http://jabber.org/protocol/chatstates'}).tree();
             _converse.handleMessageStanza(msg);
             await u.waitUntil(() => _converse.rosterview.el.querySelectorAll(".msgs-indicator").length);
-            spyOn(chatview.model, 'incrementUnreadMsgCounter').and.callThrough();
+            spyOn(chatview.model, 'handleUnreadMessage').and.callThrough();
             await u.waitUntil(() => _converse.chatboxviews.el.querySelector('.restore-chat .message-count')?.textContent === '1');
             expect(_converse.rosterview.el.querySelector('.msgs-indicator').textContent).toBe('1');
 
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ describe("The Controlbox", function () {
                 }).c('body').t('hello again').up()
                 .c('active', {'xmlns': 'http://jabber.org/protocol/chatstates'}).tree();
             _converse.handleMessageStanza(msg);
-            await u.waitUntil(() => chatview.model.incrementUnreadMsgCounter.calls.count());
+            await u.waitUntil(() => chatview.model.handleUnreadMessage.calls.count());
             await u.waitUntil(() => _converse.chatboxviews.el.querySelector('.restore-chat .message-count')?.textContent === '2');
             expect(_converse.rosterview.el.querySelector('.msgs-indicator').textContent).toBe('2');
             chatview.model.set({'minimized': false});
diff --git a/spec/muclist.js b/spec/muclist.js
index 0e27abe4e..265b7629d 100644
--- a/spec/muclist.js
+++ b/spec/muclist.js
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ describe("A groupchat shown in the groupchats list", function () {
         let indicator_el = await u.waitUntil(() => lview.el.querySelector(".msgs-indicator"));
         expect(indicator_el.textContent).toBe('1');
 
-        spyOn(view.model, 'incrementUnreadMsgCounter').and.callThrough();
+        spyOn(view.model, 'handleUnreadMessage').and.callThrough();
         await view.model.handleMessageStanza(
             $msg({
                 from: room_jid+'/'+nick,
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ describe("A groupchat shown in the groupchats list", function () {
                 type: 'groupchat'
             }).c('body').t('romeo: and another thing...').tree()
         );
-        await u.waitUntil(() => view.model.incrementUnreadMsgCounter.calls.count());
+        await u.waitUntil(() => view.model.handleUnreadMessage.calls.count());
         await u.waitUntil(() => lview.el.querySelector(".msgs-indicator").textContent === '2', 1000);
 
         // When the chat gets maximized again, the unread indicators are removed
diff --git a/src/headless/converse-chat.js b/src/headless/converse-chat.js
index f56cf86e5..383cc7ef1 100644
--- a/src/headless/converse-chat.js
+++ b/src/headless/converse-chat.js
@@ -475,7 +475,7 @@ converse.plugins.add('converse-chat', {
                     if (u.shouldCreateMessage(attrs)) {
                         const msg = this.handleCorrection(attrs) || await this.createMessage(attrs);
                         this.notifications.set({'chat_state': null});
-                        this.incrementUnreadMsgCounter(msg);
+                        this.handleUnreadMessage(msg);
                     }
                 }
             },
@@ -1154,7 +1154,7 @@ converse.plugins.add('converse-chat', {
              * @private
              * @param {_converse.Message} message
              */
-            incrementUnreadMsgCounter (message) {
+            handleUnreadMessage (message) {
                 if (!message?.get('body')) {
                     return
                 }
diff --git a/src/headless/converse-muc.js b/src/headless/converse-muc.js
index 619de42e2..4fbe3b758 100644
--- a/src/headless/converse-muc.js
+++ b/src/headless/converse-muc.js
@@ -2014,7 +2014,7 @@ converse.plugins.add('converse-muc', {
                 if (u.shouldCreateGroupchatMessage(attrs)) {
                     const msg = this.handleCorrection(attrs) || await this.createMessage(attrs);
                     this.removeNotification(attrs.nick, ['composing', 'paused']);
-                    this.incrementUnreadMsgCounter(msg);
+                    this.handleUnreadMessage(msg);
                 }
             },
 
@@ -2402,10 +2402,10 @@ converse.plugins.add('converse-muc', {
 
             /* Given a newly received message, update the unread counter if necessary.
              * @private
-             * @method _converse.ChatRoom#incrementUnreadMsgCounter
+             * @method _converse.ChatRoom#handleUnreadMessage
              * @param { XMLElement } - The <messsage> stanza
              */
-            incrementUnreadMsgCounter (message) {
+            handleUnreadMessage (message) {
                 if (!message?.get('body')) {
                     return
                 }