diff -u mutt-1.3.28.orig/browser.c mutt-1.3.28/browser.c
--- mutt-1.3.28.orig/browser.c	Tue Dec 18 09:13:17 2001
+++ mutt-1.3.28/browser.c	Wed Jun  4 17:07:57 2003
@@ -251,8 +251,16 @@
 	break;
       }
 #endif
-      snprintf (tmp, sizeof (tmp), "%%%sc", fmt);
-      snprintf (dest, destlen, tmp, folder->ff->new ? 'N' : ' ');
+      if (option(OPTCOUNTNEW) && S_ISDIR(folder->ff->mode) && folder->ff->new)
+      {
+        snprintf (tmp, sizeof (tmp), "%%%sd", fmt);
+        snprintf (dest, destlen, tmp, folder->ff->new);
+      }
+      else
+      {
+	snprintf (tmp, sizeof (tmp), "%%%sc", fmt);
+	snprintf (dest, destlen, tmp, folder->ff->new ? 'N' : ' ');
+      }
       break;
       
     case 's':
diff -u mutt-1.3.28.orig/buffy.c mutt-1.3.28/buffy.c
--- mutt-1.3.28.orig/buffy.c	Wed Oct 10 05:34:11 2001
+++ mutt-1.3.28/buffy.c	Wed Jun  4 17:10:12 2003
@@ -350,9 +350,9 @@
 	      (!(p = strstr (de->d_name, ":2,")) || !strchr (p + 3, 'T')))
 	  {
 	    /* one new and undeleted message is enough */
-	    BuffyCount++;
-	    tmp->new = 1;
-	    break;
+	    if (!tmp->new) BuffyCount++;
+	    tmp->new++;
+	    if (!option(OPTCOUNTNEW)) break;
 	  }
 	}
 	closedir (dirp);
diff -u mutt-1.3.28.orig/init.h mutt-1.3.28/init.h
--- mutt-1.3.28.orig/init.h	Wed Jun  4 16:46:05 2003
+++ mutt-1.3.28/init.h	Wed Jun  4 17:11:35 2003
@@ -291,6 +291,16 @@
   ** \fIcheck_new\fP is \fIunset\fP, no check for new mail is performed
   ** while the mailbox is open.
   */
+  { "count_new", DT_BOOL, R_NONE, OPTCOUNTNEW, 0 },
+  /*
+  ** .pp
+  ** \fBNote:\fP this option only affects \fImaildir\fP and \fIMH\fP style
+  ** mailboxes.
+  ** .pp
+  ** When \fIunset\fP, Mutt will only show whether the mailbox has new mail,
+  ** when \fIset\fP, Mutt will additionally count the number of new messages,
+  ** if any.
+  */
   { "collapse_unread",	DT_BOOL, R_NONE, OPTCOLLAPSEUNREAD, 1 },
   /*
   ** .pp
diff -u mutt-1.3.28.orig/mutt.h mutt-1.3.28/mutt.h
--- mutt-1.3.28.orig/mutt.h	Wed Jun  4 16:46:05 2003
+++ mutt-1.3.28/mutt.h	Wed Jun  4 17:12:05 2003
@@ -374,6 +374,7 @@
   OPTKEEPFLAGGED,
   OPTMAILCAPSANITIZE,
   OPTMAILDIRTRASH,
+  OPTCOUNTNEW,
   OPTMARKERS,
   OPTMARKOLD,
   OPTMENUSCROLL,	/* scroll menu instead of implicit next-page */