--- a/gnus-notify.el	2010-12-25 04:28:54.600753814 +0100
+++ b/gnus-notify.el	2010-12-25 04:29:07.473993965 +0100
@@ -110,7 +110,10 @@
   (interactive)
   (let ( (updated-groups '()) )
     (dolist (g gnus-newsrc-alist)
-      (let ( (read (cdar (gnus-info-read g))) )
+      (let ( (read (or
+                    (and (listp (car (gnus-info-read g)))
+                         (cdar (gnus-info-read g)))
+                    (cdr (gnus-info-read g)))) )
 	(when read
 	  (let* ( (name (gnus-info-group g))
 		  (unread (gnus-group-unread (car g)))