diff --git a/public/src/client/topic.js b/public/src/client/topic.js
index c25a910431..f2e1b0bab4 100644
--- a/public/src/client/topic.js
+++ b/public/src/client/topic.js
@@ -116,7 +116,8 @@ define('forum/topic', [
 	};
 
 	function handleBookmark(tid) {
-		var bookmark = localStorage.getItem('topic:' + tid + ':bookmark');
+		// use the user's bookmark data if available, fallback to local if available
+		var bookmark = ajaxify.data.bookmark || localStorage.getItem('topic:' + tid + ':bookmark');
 		var postIndex = getPostIndex();
 
 		if (postIndex && window.location.search.indexOf('page=') === -1) {
@@ -198,10 +199,9 @@ define('forum/topic', [
 		}
 
 		var bookmarkKey = 'topic:' + ajaxify.data.tid + ':bookmark';
-		var currentBookmark = localStorage.getItem(bookmarkKey);
+		var currentBookmark = ajaxify.data.bookmark || localStorage.getItem(bookmarkKey);
 
 		if (!currentBookmark || parseInt(postIndex, 10) > parseInt(currentBookmark, 10)) {
-			localStorage.setItem(bookmarkKey, postIndex);
 			if (app.user.uid) {
 				var data = {
 					'tid':  ajaxify.data.tid,
@@ -209,6 +209,8 @@ define('forum/topic', [
 					'postIndex': postIndex
 				}
 				socket.emit('topics.bookmark', data);
+			} else {
+				localStorage.setItem(bookmarkKey, postIndex);
 			}
 			app.removeAlert('bookmark');
 		}
diff --git a/src/topics.js b/src/topics.js
index 36a7dc89b1..44e277e04f 100644
--- a/src/topics.js
+++ b/src/topics.js
@@ -221,7 +221,8 @@ var async = require('async'),
 				category: async.apply(Topics.getCategoryData, tid),
 				threadTools: async.apply(plugins.fireHook, 'filter:topic.thread_tools', {topic: topicData, uid: uid, tools: []}),
 				tags: async.apply(Topics.getTopicTagsObjects, tid),
-				isFollowing: async.apply(Topics.isFollowing, [tid], uid)
+				isFollowing: async.apply(Topics.isFollowing, [tid], uid),
+				bookmark: async.apply(Topics.getUserBookmark, tid, uid)
 			}, function(err, results) {
 				if (err) {
 					return callback(err);
@@ -232,6 +233,7 @@ var async = require('async'),
 				topicData.thread_tools = results.threadTools.tools;
 				topicData.tags = results.tags;
 				topicData.isFollowing = results.isFollowing[0];
+				topicData.bookmark = results.bookmark;
 
 				topicData.unreplied = parseInt(topicData.postcount, 10) === 1;
 				topicData.deleted = parseInt(topicData.deleted, 10) === 1;