diff --git a/app/services/notify_service.rb b/app/services/notify_service.rb
index c7454fc60..a0dd9bed3 100644
--- a/app/services/notify_service.rb
+++ b/app/services/notify_service.rb
@@ -62,16 +62,17 @@ class NotifyService < BaseService
           LEFT JOIN mentions m ON m.silent = FALSE AND m.account_id = :sender_id AND m.status_id = s.id
           WHERE s.id = :id
         UNION ALL
-          SELECT s.id, s.in_reply_to_id, m.id, st.path || s.id, st.depth + 1
-          FROM ancestors st
-          JOIN statuses s ON s.id = st.in_reply_to_id
-          LEFT JOIN mentions m ON m.silent = FALSE AND m.account_id = :sender_id AND m.status_id = s.id
-          WHERE st.mention_id IS NULL AND NOT s.id = ANY(path) AND st.depth < :depth_limit
+          SELECT s.id, s.in_reply_to_id, m.id, ancestors.path || s.id, ancestors.depth + 1
+          FROM ancestors
+          JOIN statuses s ON s.id = ancestors.in_reply_to_id
+          /* early exit if we already have a mention matching our requirements */
+          LEFT JOIN mentions m ON m.silent = FALSE AND m.account_id = :sender_id AND m.status_id = s.id AND s.account_id = :recipient_id
+          WHERE ancestors.mention_id IS NULL AND NOT s.id = ANY(path) AND ancestors.depth < :depth_limit
       )
       SELECT COUNT(*)
-      FROM ancestors st
-      JOIN statuses s ON s.id = st.id
-      WHERE st.mention_id IS NOT NULL AND s.visibility = 3
+      FROM ancestors
+      JOIN statuses s ON s.id = ancestors.id
+      WHERE ancestors.mention_id IS NOT NULL AND s.account_id = :recipient_id AND s.visibility = 3
     SQL
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/services/notify_service_spec.rb b/spec/services/notify_service_spec.rb
index 294c31b04..82770d4fe 100644
--- a/spec/services/notify_service_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/services/notify_service_spec.rb
@@ -72,11 +72,11 @@ RSpec.describe NotifyService, type: :service do
         end
       end
 
-      context 'if the message chain is initiated by recipient, but without a mention to the sender, even if the sender sends multiple messages in a row' do
-        let(:reply_to) { Fabricate(:status, account: recipient) }
-        let!(:mention) { Fabricate(:mention, account: sender, status: reply_to) }
-        let(:dummy_reply) { Fabricate(:status, account: sender, visibility: :direct, thread: reply_to) }
-        let(:activity) { Fabricate(:mention, account: recipient, status: Fabricate(:status, account: sender, visibility: :direct, thread: dummy_reply)) }
+      context 'when the message chain is initiated by recipient, but without a mention to the sender, even if the sender sends multiple messages in a row' do
+        let(:public_status) { Fabricate(:status, account: recipient) }
+        let(:intermediate_reply) { Fabricate(:status, account: sender, thread: public_status, visibility: :direct) }
+        let!(:intermediate_mention) { Fabricate(:mention, account: sender, status: intermediate_reply) }
+        let(:activity) { Fabricate(:mention, account: recipient, status: Fabricate(:status, account: sender, visibility: :direct, thread: intermediate_reply)) }
 
         it 'does not notify' do
           expect { subject }.to_not change(Notification, :count)