diff --git a/src/newsreader/js/pages/homepage/components/postlist/PostItem.js b/src/newsreader/js/pages/homepage/components/postlist/PostItem.js
index a03fcf1..205c3b5 100644
--- a/src/newsreader/js/pages/homepage/components/postlist/PostItem.js
+++ b/src/newsreader/js/pages/homepage/components/postlist/PostItem.js
@@ -34,8 +34,11 @@ class PostItem extends React.Component {
       ruleUrl = `${this.props.feedUrl}/${rule.id}/`;
     }
 
+    {
+      /* TODO: figure out why this is called up to three times */
+    }
     return (
-      <li className="posts__item" data-id={post.id}>
+      <li className="posts__item" ref={this.props.forwardedRef}>
         <h5
           className={titleClassName}
           title={post.title}
diff --git a/src/newsreader/js/pages/homepage/components/postlist/PostList.js b/src/newsreader/js/pages/homepage/components/postlist/PostList.js
index c8e986d..89ef257 100644
--- a/src/newsreader/js/pages/homepage/components/postlist/PostList.js
+++ b/src/newsreader/js/pages/homepage/components/postlist/PostList.js
@@ -11,29 +11,21 @@ import PostItem from './PostItem.js';
 
 class PostList extends React.Component {
   handleIntersect = ::this.handleIntersect;
+  lastPostRef = null;
   observer = null;
-  lastPost = null;
-  callCount = 0;
 
   constructor(props) {
     super(props);
 
+    this.lastPostRef = React.createRef();
+
     const observerOptions = { root: null, rootMargin: '0px', threshold: 0 };
     this.observer = new IntersectionObserver(this.handleIntersect, observerOptions);
   }
 
   componentDidUpdate() {
-    const lastPost = [...this.props.postsByType]
-      .reverse()
-      .find(post => post.read === false);
-
-    if (lastPost && (!this.lastPost || lastPost.id != this.lastPost.id)) {
-      const observeTarget = document.querySelector(
-        `.posts__item[data-id="${lastPost.id}"]`
-      );
-
-      this.lastPost = lastPost;
-      this.observer.observe(observeTarget);
+    if (this.lastPostRef.current) {
+      this.observer.observe(this.lastPostRef.current);
     }
   }
 
@@ -65,17 +57,22 @@ class PostList extends React.Component {
 
   render() {
     const postItems = this.props.postsByType.map((item, index) => {
-      return (
-        <PostItem
-          key={index}
-          post={item}
-          selected={this.props.selected}
-          feedUrl={this.props.feedUrl}
-          subredditUrl={this.props.subredditUrl}
-          timelineUrl={this.props.timelineUrl}
-          timezone={this.props.timezone}
-        />
-      );
+      const isLastItem = this.props.postsByType.length - 1 == index;
+      const defaultProps = {
+        key: index,
+        post: item,
+        selected: this.props.selected,
+        feedUrl: this.props.feedUrl,
+        subredditUrl: this.props.subredditUrl,
+        timelineUrl: this.props.timelineUrl,
+        timezone: this.props.timezone,
+      };
+
+      if (isLastItem && !item.read) {
+        return <PostItem {...defaultProps} forwardedRef={this.lastPostRef} />;
+      } else {
+        return <PostItem {...defaultProps} />;
+      }
     });
 
     if (isEqual(this.props.selected, {})) {