diff --git a/include/modules/github.hpp b/include/modules/github.hpp
index 79080cc8..4c45c80a 100644
--- a/include/modules/github.hpp
+++ b/include/modules/github.hpp
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ namespace modules {
     label_t m_label{};
     string m_accesstoken{};
     unique_ptr<http_downloader> m_http{};
+    bool m_empty_notifications{false};
   };
 }
 
diff --git a/src/modules/github.cpp b/src/modules/github.cpp
index 18491059..0daaf51c 100644
--- a/src/modules/github.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/github.cpp
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ namespace modules {
    */
   void github_module::setup() {
     m_accesstoken = m_conf.get<string>(name(), "token");
-    m_interval = m_conf.get<chrono::seconds>(name(), "interval", 60s);
+    m_interval = m_conf.get(name(), "interval", 60s);
+    m_empty_notifications = m_conf.get(name(), "empty-notifications", m_empty_notifications);
 
     m_formatter->add(DEFAULT_FORMAT, TAG_LABEL, {TAG_LABEL});
 
@@ -57,7 +58,7 @@ namespace modules {
 
     if (m_label) {
       m_label->reset_tokens();
-      m_label->replace_token("%notifications%", to_string(notifications));
+      m_label->replace_token("%notifications%", notifications || m_empty_notifications ? to_string(notifications) : "");
     }
 
     return true;