diff --git a/src/calibre/library/catalog.py b/src/calibre/library/catalog.py
index ef7569bd88..e14d092727 100644
--- a/src/calibre/library/catalog.py
+++ b/src/calibre/library/catalog.py
@@ -2590,7 +2590,7 @@ class EPUB_MOBI(CatalogPlugin):
                     aTag = Tag(soup, 'a')
                     aTag['name'] = "%s_series" % re.sub('\W','',book['series']).lower()
                     pSeriesTag.insert(0,aTag)
-                    pSeriesTag.insert(1,NavigableString(self.NOT_READ_SYMBOL + '%s' % book['series']))
+                    pSeriesTag.insert(1,NavigableString('%s' % book['series']))
                     divTag.insert(dtc,pSeriesTag)
                     dtc += 1
 
@@ -2599,7 +2599,14 @@ class EPUB_MOBI(CatalogPlugin):
                 ptc = 0
 
                 #  book with read/reading/unread symbol
-                if 'read' in book and book['read']:
+                for tag in book['tags']:
+                    if tag == self.opts.read_tag:
+                        book['read'] = True
+                        break
+                else:
+                    book['read'] = False
+
+                if book['read']:
                     # check mark
                     pBookTag.insert(ptc,NavigableString(self.READ_SYMBOL))
                     pBookTag['class'] = "read_book"