diff --git a/backend.php b/backend.php
index 39324673..634d5ae3 100644
--- a/backend.php
+++ b/backend.php
@@ -301,6 +301,7 @@
 		$feed_id = db_escape_string($_GET["feed"]);
 		$cids = split(",", db_escape_string($_GET["cids"]));
 		$mode = db_escape_string($_GET["mode"]);
+		$omode = db_escape_string($_GET["omode"]);
 
 		print "<reply>";
 
@@ -319,6 +320,10 @@
 			}
 		}
 
+		print "<counters>";
+		getAllCounters($link, $omode);
+		print "</counters>";
+
 		print "</reply>";
 	}
 
diff --git a/viewfeed.js b/viewfeed.js
index 4cba45ef..88448f31 100644
--- a/viewfeed.js
+++ b/viewfeed.js
@@ -123,7 +123,14 @@ function article_callback() {
 			setTimeout('updateFeedList(false, false)', 50);			
 			_reload_feedlist_after_view = false;
 		} else {
-			update_all_counters();
+			var counters = xmlhttp.responseXML.getElementsByTagName("counters")[0];
+
+			if (counters) {
+				debug("parsing piggybacked counters: " + counters);
+				parse_counters(counters, false);
+			} else {
+				update_all_counters();
+			}
 		}
 
 		notify("");
@@ -194,6 +201,14 @@ function view(id, feed_id, skip_history) {
 
 			debug("additional ids: " + cids_to_request.toString());			
 
+			/* additional info for piggyback counters */
+
+			if (tagsAreDisplayed()) {
+				query = query + "&omode=lt";
+			} else {
+				query = query + "&omode=flc";
+			}
+
 			var date = new Date();
 			var timestamp = Math.round(date.getTime() / 1000);
 			query = query + "&ts=" + timestamp;