diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/components/more-topics.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/components/more-topics.js
index f82ac3ad44b..16e26b485ee 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/components/more-topics.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/components/more-topics.js
@@ -34,18 +34,21 @@ export default class MoreTopics extends Component {
         };
       });
 
-      if (pills.length <= 1) {
-        this.singleList = true;
-      }
-
-      if (this.singleList || !this.site.mobileView) {
+      if (pills.length === 0) {
         return;
+      } else if (pills.length === 1) {
+        this.singleList = true;
       }
 
       let preference = this.moreTopicsPreferenceTracking.preference;
 
       if (!preference) {
-        this.moreTopicsPreferenceTracking.updatePreference(pills[0].id);
+        const rememberPref = this.site.mobileView && !this.singleList;
+
+        this.moreTopicsPreferenceTracking.updatePreference(
+          pills[0].id,
+          rememberPref
+        );
         preference = pills[0].id;
       }
 
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/services/more-topics-preference-tracking.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/services/more-topics-preference-tracking.js
index 6267ef94d17..0241ef64552 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/services/more-topics-preference-tracking.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/services/more-topics-preference-tracking.js
@@ -13,8 +13,11 @@ export default class MoreTopicsPreferenceTracking extends Service {
     this.preference = this.keyValueStore.get(TOPIC_LIST_PREFERENCE_KEY);
   }
 
-  updatePreference(value) {
-    this.keyValueStore.set({ key: TOPIC_LIST_PREFERENCE_KEY, value });
+  updatePreference(value, rememberPref = false) {
+    if (!rememberPref) {
+      this.keyValueStore.set({ key: TOPIC_LIST_PREFERENCE_KEY, value });
+    }
+
     this.preference = value;
   }
 }
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/acceptance/user-private-messages-test.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/acceptance/user-private-messages-test.js
index ae50319aebd..202f0adb1e5 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/acceptance/user-private-messages-test.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/acceptance/user-private-messages-test.js
@@ -764,12 +764,9 @@ acceptance(
 
       await publishUnreadToMessageBus({ userId: 5, topicId: 2 });
 
-      assert.ok(
-        query(".suggested-topics-message")
-          .innerText.trim()
-          .match(
-            /There is 1 unread\s+ and 1 new message remaining, or browse other personal messages/
-          ),
+      assert.strictEqual(
+        query(".suggested-topics-message").innerText.trim(),
+        "There is 1 unread and 1 new message remaining, or browse other personal messages",
         "displays the right browse more message"
       );
 
@@ -816,7 +813,7 @@ acceptance(
         query(".suggested-topics-message")
           .innerText.trim()
           .match(
-            /There is 1 unread\s+ and 1 new message remaining, or browse other messages in\s+awesome_group/
+            /There is 1 unread and 1 new message remaining, or browse other messages in\s+awesome_group/
           ),
         "displays the right browse more message"
       );