diff --git a/models/activities/notification.go b/models/activities/notification.go
index e0af2ee8bbf56..ef263ef735c3d 100644
--- a/models/activities/notification.go
+++ b/models/activities/notification.go
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ func createIssueNotification(ctx context.Context, userID int64, issue *issues_mo
 }
 
 func updateIssueNotification(ctx context.Context, userID, issueID, commentID, updatedByID int64) error {
-	notification, err := getIssueNotification(ctx, userID, issueID)
+	notification, err := GetIssueNotification(ctx, userID, issueID)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -331,7 +331,8 @@ func updateIssueNotification(ctx context.Context, userID, issueID, commentID, up
 	return err
 }
 
-func getIssueNotification(ctx context.Context, userID, issueID int64) (*Notification, error) {
+// GetIssueNotification return the notification about an issue
+func GetIssueNotification(ctx context.Context, userID, issueID int64) (*Notification, error) {
 	notification := new(Notification)
 	_, err := db.GetEngine(ctx).
 		Where("user_id = ?", userID).
@@ -742,7 +743,7 @@ func GetUIDsAndNotificationCounts(since, until timeutil.TimeStamp) ([]UserIDCoun
 
 // SetIssueReadBy sets issue to be read by given user.
 func SetIssueReadBy(ctx context.Context, issueID, userID int64) error {
-	if err := issues_model.UpdateIssueUserByRead(userID, issueID); err != nil {
+	if err := issues_model.UpdateIssueUserByRead(ctx, userID, issueID); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -750,7 +751,7 @@ func SetIssueReadBy(ctx context.Context, issueID, userID int64) error {
 }
 
 func setIssueNotificationStatusReadIfUnread(ctx context.Context, userID, issueID int64) error {
-	notification, err := getIssueNotification(ctx, userID, issueID)
+	notification, err := GetIssueNotification(ctx, userID, issueID)
 	// ignore if not exists
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil
@@ -762,7 +763,7 @@ func setIssueNotificationStatusReadIfUnread(ctx context.Context, userID, issueID
 
 	notification.Status = NotificationStatusRead
 
-	_, err = db.GetEngine(ctx).ID(notification.ID).Update(notification)
+	_, err = db.GetEngine(ctx).ID(notification.ID).Cols("status").Update(notification)
 	return err
 }
 
diff --git a/models/activities/notification_test.go b/models/activities/notification_test.go
index 36b63b266b1e6..2d4c369a99b04 100644
--- a/models/activities/notification_test.go
+++ b/models/activities/notification_test.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 package activities_test
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"testing"
 
 	activities_model "code.gitea.io/gitea/models/activities"
@@ -109,3 +110,16 @@ func TestUpdateNotificationStatuses(t *testing.T) {
 	unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t,
 		&activities_model.Notification{ID: notfPinned.ID, Status: activities_model.NotificationStatusPinned})
 }
+
+func TestSetIssueReadBy(t *testing.T) {
+	assert.NoError(t, unittest.PrepareTestDatabase())
+	user := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &user_model.User{ID: 1})
+	issue := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &issues_model.Issue{ID: 1})
+	assert.NoError(t, db.WithTx(db.DefaultContext, func(ctx context.Context) error {
+		return activities_model.SetIssueReadBy(ctx, issue.ID, user.ID)
+	}))
+
+	nt, err := activities_model.GetIssueNotification(db.DefaultContext, user.ID, issue.ID)
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.EqualValues(t, activities_model.NotificationStatusRead, nt.Status)
+}
diff --git a/models/issues/issue_user.go b/models/issues/issue_user.go
index 47da5c62c4d4a..d053b1d54350b 100644
--- a/models/issues/issue_user.go
+++ b/models/issues/issue_user.go
@@ -55,8 +55,8 @@ func NewIssueUsers(ctx context.Context, repo *repo_model.Repository, issue *Issu
 }
 
 // UpdateIssueUserByRead updates issue-user relation for reading.
-func UpdateIssueUserByRead(uid, issueID int64) error {
-	_, err := db.GetEngine(db.DefaultContext).Exec("UPDATE `issue_user` SET is_read=? WHERE uid=? AND issue_id=?", true, uid, issueID)
+func UpdateIssueUserByRead(ctx context.Context, uid, issueID int64) error {
+	_, err := db.GetEngine(ctx).Exec("UPDATE `issue_user` SET is_read=? WHERE uid=? AND issue_id=?", true, uid, issueID)
 	return err
 }
 
diff --git a/models/issues/issue_user_test.go b/models/issues/issue_user_test.go
index 0daace6c9b19c..ce47adb53a0b5 100644
--- a/models/issues/issue_user_test.go
+++ b/models/issues/issue_user_test.go
@@ -40,13 +40,13 @@ func TestUpdateIssueUserByRead(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.NoError(t, unittest.PrepareTestDatabase())
 	issue := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &issues_model.Issue{ID: 1})
 
-	assert.NoError(t, issues_model.UpdateIssueUserByRead(4, issue.ID))
+	assert.NoError(t, issues_model.UpdateIssueUserByRead(db.DefaultContext, 4, issue.ID))
 	unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &issues_model.IssueUser{IssueID: issue.ID, UID: 4}, "is_read=1")
 
-	assert.NoError(t, issues_model.UpdateIssueUserByRead(4, issue.ID))
+	assert.NoError(t, issues_model.UpdateIssueUserByRead(db.DefaultContext, 4, issue.ID))
 	unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &issues_model.IssueUser{IssueID: issue.ID, UID: 4}, "is_read=1")
 
-	assert.NoError(t, issues_model.UpdateIssueUserByRead(unittest.NonexistentID, unittest.NonexistentID))
+	assert.NoError(t, issues_model.UpdateIssueUserByRead(db.DefaultContext, unittest.NonexistentID, unittest.NonexistentID))
 }
 
 func TestUpdateIssueUsersByMentions(t *testing.T) {