diff --git a/services/unread.py b/services/unread.py
index 9132c32f..d0587021 100644
--- a/services/unread.py
+++ b/services/unread.py
@@ -9,11 +9,9 @@ async def get_unread_counter(chat_id: str, author_id: int) -> int:
 
 
 async def get_total_unread_counter(author_id: int) -> int:
-    chats = await redis.execute("SMEMBERS", f"chats_by_author/{author_id}")
+    chats_set = await redis.execute("SMEMBERS", f"chats_by_author/{author_id}")
     unread = 0
-    if chats:
-        chats = json.loads(chats)
-        for chat_id in chats:
-            n = await get_unread_counter(chat_id.decode("utf-8"), author_id)
-            unread += n
+    for chat_id in list(chats_set):
+        n = await get_unread_counter(chat_id.decode("utf-8"), author_id)
+        unread += n
     return unread