diff --git a/src/pyj/read_book/annotations.pyj b/src/pyj/read_book/annotations.pyj
index eff359b194..6b6a442d27 100644
--- a/src/pyj/read_book/annotations.pyj
+++ b/src/pyj/read_book/annotations.pyj
@@ -106,6 +106,15 @@ class AnnotationsManager:  # {{{
         self.set_highlights()
         self.set_bookmarks()
 
+    def sync_annots_to_server(self, which):
+        if ui_operations.annots_changed:
+            amap = {}
+            if not which or which is 'bookmarks':
+                amap.bookmark = self.bookmarks.as_array()
+            if not which or which is 'highlights':
+                amap.highlight = Object.values(self.highlights)
+            ui_operations.annots_changed(amap)
+
     def set_bookmarks(self, bookmarks):
         bookmarks = bookmarks or v'[]'
         self.bookmarks = list(bookmarks)
@@ -125,8 +134,7 @@ class AnnotationsManager:  # {{{
             'title': title,
         })
         sort_annot_list(self.bookmarks, bookmark_get_cfi)
-        if ui_operations.bookmarks_changed:
-            ui_operations.bookmarks_changed(self.bookmarks.as_array())
+        self.sync_annots_to_server('bookmarks')
 
     def remove_bookmark(self, title):
         changed = False
@@ -135,8 +143,8 @@ class AnnotationsManager:  # {{{
                 b.removed = True
                 b.timestamp = Date().toISOString()
                 changed = True
-        if changed and ui_operations.bookmarks_changed:
-            ui_operations.bookmarks_changed(self.bookmarks.as_array())
+        if changed:
+            self.sync_annots_to_server('bookmarks')
         return changed
 
     def default_bookmark_title(self):
@@ -180,8 +188,7 @@ class AnnotationsManager:  # {{{
 
     def delete_highlight(self, uuid):
         if self.remove_highlight(uuid):
-            if ui_operations.highlights_changed:
-                ui_operations.highlights_changed(Object.values(self.highlights))
+            self.sync_annots_to_server('highlights')
 
     def notes_for_highlight(self, uuid):
         h = self.highlights[uuid] if uuid else None
@@ -195,8 +202,7 @@ class AnnotationsManager:  # {{{
                 h.notes = notes
             else:
                 v'delete h.notes'
-            if ui_operations.highlights_changed:
-                ui_operations.highlights_changed(Object.values(self.highlights))
+            self.sync_annots_to_server('highlights')
             return True
         return False
 
@@ -244,8 +250,7 @@ class AnnotationsManager:  # {{{
         }
         if notes:
             annot.notes = notes
-        if ui_operations.highlights_changed:
-            ui_operations.highlights_changed(Object.values(self.highlights))
+        self.sync_annots_to_server('highlights')
 
     def highlights_for_currently_showing(self):
         name = self.view.currently_showing.name
diff --git a/src/pyj/read_book/overlay.pyj b/src/pyj/read_book/overlay.pyj
index 9f2534fe96..444b2c6767 100644
--- a/src/pyj/read_book/overlay.pyj
+++ b/src/pyj/read_book/overlay.pyj
@@ -135,6 +135,7 @@ class SyncBook:  # {{{
         set_css(container, background_color=get_color('window-background'))
         book = self.overlay.view.book
         to_sync = v'[[book.key, new Date(0)]]'
+        self.overlay.view.annotations_manager.sync_annots_to_server()
         sync_library_books(book.key[0], to_sync, self.sync_data_received)
         container.appendChild(E.div(
             style='display: flex; flex-direction: column; justify-content: center; align-items: center; height: 100%',
diff --git a/src/pyj/read_book/ui.pyj b/src/pyj/read_book/ui.pyj
index 131916deb7..c6802d8ee0 100644
--- a/src/pyj/read_book/ui.pyj
+++ b/src/pyj/read_book/ui.pyj
@@ -75,8 +75,7 @@ class ReadUI:
         ui_operations.focus_iframe = self.focus_iframe.bind(self)
         ui_operations.toggle_toc = self.toggle_toc.bind(self)
         ui_operations.toggle_full_screen = self.toggle_full_screen.bind(self)
-        ui_operations.highlights_changed = self.highlights_changed.bind(self)
-        ui_operations.bookmarks_changed = self.bookmarks_changed.bind(self)
+        ui_operations.annots_changed = self.annots_changed.bind(self)
         ui_operations.annotations_synced = self.annotations_synced.bind(self)
         ui_operations.wait_for_messages_from = self.wait_for_messages_from.bind(self)
         ui_operations.stop_waiting_for_messages_from = self.stop_waiting_for_messages_from.bind(self)
@@ -217,12 +216,6 @@ class ReadUI:
         self.db.update_annotations_data_from_key(library_id, book_id, fmt, {'annotations_map': amap})
         ajax_send(f'book-update-annotations/{library_id}/{book_id}/{fmt}', amap, def (): pass;)
 
-    def highlights_changed(self, highlights):
-        self.annots_changed({'highlight': highlights})
-
-    def bookmarks_changed(self, bookmarks):
-        self.annots_changed({'bookmark': bookmarks})
-
     def annotations_synced(self, amap):
         library_id = self.base_url_data.library_id
         book_id = self.base_url_data.book_id
diff --git a/src/pyj/viewer-main.pyj b/src/pyj/viewer-main.pyj
index 82835aff25..b8d9606cb1 100644
--- a/src/pyj/viewer-main.pyj
+++ b/src/pyj/viewer-main.pyj
@@ -394,8 +394,9 @@ if window is window.top:
         to_python.scrollbar_context_menu(x, y, frac)
     ui_operations.close_prep_finished = def(cfi):
         to_python.close_prep_finished(cfi)
-    ui_operations.highlights_changed = def(highlights):
-        to_python.highlights_changed(highlights)
+    ui_operations.annots_changed = def(amap):
+        if amap.highlight:
+            to_python.highlights_changed(amap.highlight)
 
     document.body.appendChild(E.div(id='view'))
     window.onerror = onerror