diff --git a/addons/mail/static/src/core/web/chatter.xml b/addons/mail/static/src/core/web/chatter.xml
index da450ff7752..8bbf02def69 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/src/core/web/chatter.xml
+++ b/addons/mail/static/src/core/web/chatter.xml
@@ -34,9 +34,9 @@
                     <t t-else="" t-call="mail.Chatter.attachFiles"/>
                     <Dropdown t-if="props.hasFollowers" position="'bottom-end'" disabled="isDisabled" class="'o-mail-Followers d-flex me-1'" menuClass="'o-mail-Followers-dropdown flex-column'" menuDisplay="'d-flex'" title="followerButtonLabel" togglerClass="'o-mail-Followers-button btn btn-link text-action px-1 ' + (props.compactHeight ? '' : 'my-2')">
                         <t t-set-slot="toggler">
-                            <i class="fa fa-user-o" role="img"/>
-                            <i t-if="state.thread.followersCount === undefined" class="fa fa-circle-o-notch fa-spin"/>
-                            <span t-else="" class="o-mail-Followers-counter ps-1" t-esc="state.thread.followersCount"/>
+                            <i class="fa fa-user-o me-1" role="img"/>
+                            <i t-if="state.thread.id and state.thread.followersCount === undefined" class="fa fa-circle-o-notch fa-spin"/>
+                            <span t-else="" class="o-mail-Followers-counter" t-esc="state.thread.followersCount ?? 0"/>
                         </t>
                         <t t-set-slot="default">
                             <FollowerList onAddFollowers.bind="onAddFollowers" onFollowerChanged.bind="onFollowerChanged" thread="state.thread"/>
diff --git a/addons/mail/static/tests/web/chatter_tests.js b/addons/mail/static/tests/web/chatter_tests.js
index c0875f41b35..065ccacfd89 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/tests/web/chatter_tests.js
+++ b/addons/mail/static/tests/web/chatter_tests.js
@@ -761,3 +761,9 @@ QUnit.test("upload attachment on draft record", async (assert) => {
     await afterNextRender(() => dropFiles($(".o-mail-Dropzone")[0], [file]));
     await waitUntil("button[aria-label='Attach files']:contains(1)");
 });
+
+QUnit.test("Follower count of draft record is set to 0", async (assert) => {
+    const { openView } = await start();
+    await openView({ res_model: "res.partner", views: [[false, "form"]] });
+    assert.containsOnce($, ".o-mail-Followers:contains(0)");
+});