diff --git a/cockatrice/src/tab_server.cpp b/cockatrice/src/tab_server.cpp
index 787b08d8..a85fe1c0 100644
--- a/cockatrice/src/tab_server.cpp
+++ b/cockatrice/src/tab_server.cpp
@@ -168,7 +168,12 @@ void TabServer::retranslateUi()
 void TabServer::processServerMessageEvent(const Event_ServerMessage &event)
 {
     serverInfoBox->setHtml(QString::fromStdString(event.message()));
-    emit userEvent();
+    if (shouldEmitUpdate) {
+        // prevent the initial server message from taking attention from ping icon
+        emit userEvent();
+    } else {
+        shouldEmitUpdate = true;
+    }
 }
 
 void TabServer::joinRoom(int id, bool setCurrent)
diff --git a/cockatrice/src/tab_server.h b/cockatrice/src/tab_server.h
index baa8b6a6..e52d715c 100644
--- a/cockatrice/src/tab_server.h
+++ b/cockatrice/src/tab_server.h
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ private:
     AbstractClient *client;
     RoomSelector *roomSelector;
     QTextBrowser *serverInfoBox;
+    bool shouldEmitUpdate = false;
 public:
     TabServer(TabSupervisor *_tabSupervisor, AbstractClient *_client, QWidget *parent = 0);
     void retranslateUi();