diff --git a/src/js/_enqueues/wp/updates.js b/src/js/_enqueues/wp/updates.js
index ef4b47e66093e..af407f7026d08 100644
--- a/src/js/_enqueues/wp/updates.js
+++ b/src/js/_enqueues/wp/updates.js
@@ -391,7 +391,7 @@
 		$pluginsNavMenuUpdateCount.each( function( index, element ) {
 			element.className = element.className.replace( /count-\d+/, 'count-' + settings.totals.counts.plugins );
 		} );
-		if ( settings.totals.counts.total > 0 ) {
+		if ( settings.totals.counts.plugins > 0 ) {
 			$pluginsNavMenuUpdateCount.find( '.plugin-count' ).text( settings.totals.counts.plugins );
 		} else {
 			$pluginsNavMenuUpdateCount.remove();
@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@
 		$appearanceNavMenuUpdateCount.each( function( index, element ) {
 			element.className = element.className.replace( /count-\d+/, 'count-' + settings.totals.counts.themes );
 		} );
-		if ( settings.totals.counts.total > 0 ) {
+		if ( settings.totals.counts.themes > 0 ) {
 			$appearanceNavMenuUpdateCount.find( '.theme-count' ).text( settings.totals.counts.themes );
 		} else {
 			$appearanceNavMenuUpdateCount.remove();
diff --git a/tests/qunit/fixtures/updates.js b/tests/qunit/fixtures/updates.js
index 7e31370814880..4ee72d9eb4bff 100644
--- a/tests/qunit/fixtures/updates.js
+++ b/tests/qunit/fixtures/updates.js
@@ -59,5 +59,13 @@ window._wpUpdatesSettings = {
 };
 window._wpUpdatesItemCounts = {
 	plugins: {},
-	totals: {}
+	totals: {
+		counts: {
+			plugins:      2,
+			themes:       0,
+			wordpress:    0,
+			translations: 0,
+			total:        2
+		}
+	}
 };
diff --git a/tests/qunit/index.html b/tests/qunit/index.html
index 9fd35f0c1ffc2..7dd58bbacaf20 100644
--- a/tests/qunit/index.html
+++ b/tests/qunit/index.html
@@ -2314,6 +2314,12 @@ <h2>Preview</h2>
 				</li>
 				</ul>
 			</li>
+			<li class="wp-has-submenu wp-not-current-submenu menu-top menu-icon-appearance" id="menu-appearance">
+				<a href="themes.php" class="wp-has-submenu wp-not-current-submenu menu-top menu-icon-appearance" aria-haspopup="true">
+					<div class="wp-menu-image dashicons-before dashicons-admin-appearance"><br></div>
+					<div class="wp-menu-name">Appearance</div>
+				</a>
+			</li>
 			</ul>
 		</div>
 	</body>
diff --git a/tests/qunit/wp-admin/js/updates.js b/tests/qunit/wp-admin/js/updates.js
index 9d3948811abfd..88ba5b395c2ea 100644
--- a/tests/qunit/wp-admin/js/updates.js
+++ b/tests/qunit/wp-admin/js/updates.js
@@ -33,6 +33,21 @@ jQuery( function( $ ) {
 		assert.equal( adminItemCount, 1 );
 	});
 
+	QUnit.test( 'decrementCount removes the plugin badge when plugin count reaches zero', function( assert ) {
+		// Arrange: set up 1 plugin update with a non-zero total so the admin bar stays visible.
+		window._wpUpdatesSettings.totals.counts.plugins = 1;
+		window._wpUpdatesSettings.totals.counts.themes  = 2;
+		window._wpUpdatesSettings.totals.counts.total   = 3;
+		wp.updates.refreshCount();
+
+		// Act: update the last plugin.
+		wp.updates.decrementCount( 'plugin' );
+
+		// Assert: plugin badge is removed when its own count hits zero, not when total hits zero.
+		assert.strictEqual( $( '#menu-plugins .plugin-count' ).length, 0, 'Plugin badge is removed when plugin count is zero.' );
+		assert.strictEqual( parseInt( $( '#wp-admin-bar-updates .ab-label' ).text(), 10 ), 2, 'Admin bar total reflects remaining theme updates.' );
+	} );
+
 	QUnit.test( '`beforeunload` should only fire when locked', function( assert ) {
 		wp.updates.ajaxLocked = false;
 		assert.notOk( wp.updates.beforeunload(), '`beforeunload` should not fire.' );