diff --git a/lib/views/components/badge.js b/lib/views/components/badge.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4e55624
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/views/components/badge.js
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+'use strict'
+
+const h = require('virtual-dom/h')
+
+module.exports = function badge(count) {
+  return h('.badge', '' + count)
+}
diff --git a/lib/views/sidebar/channels.js b/lib/views/sidebar/channels.js
index 0692f4b..b446161 100644
--- a/lib/views/sidebar/channels.js
+++ b/lib/views/sidebar/channels.js
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 const h = require('virtual-dom/h')
 const inherits = require('util').inherits
 const Base = require('vdelement')
+const badge = require('../components/badge')
 
 module.exports = Channels
 
@@ -61,7 +62,7 @@ Channels.prototype.render = function render(chans) {
     ]
 
     if (chan.unread) {
-      kids.push(h('.badge', '' + chan.unread))
+      kids.push(badge(chan.unread))
     }
 
     let classNames = []