diff --git a/app/views/layouts/header/_default.html.haml b/app/views/layouts/header/_default.html.haml
index 7408fe3f6d0..17e553aeef0 100644
--- a/app/views/layouts/header/_default.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/layouts/header/_default.html.haml
@@ -47,17 +47,19 @@
             %li
               = link_to assigned_issues_dashboard_path, title: 'Issues', aria: { label: "Issues" }, data: {toggle: 'tooltip', placement: 'bottom', container: 'body'} do
                 = icon('hashtag fw')
-                %span.badge.issues-count
-                  = number_with_delimiter(cached_assigned_issuables_count(current_user, :issues, :opened))
+                - issues_count = cached_assigned_issuables_count(current_user, :issues, :opened)
+                %span.badge.issues-count{ class: ('hidden' if issues_count.zero?) }
+                  = number_with_delimiter(issues_count)
             %li
               = link_to assigned_mrs_dashboard_path, title: 'Merge requests', aria: { label: "Merge requests" }, data: {toggle: 'tooltip', placement: 'bottom', container: 'body'} do
                 = custom_icon('mr_bold')
-                %span.badge.merge-requests-count
-                  = number_with_delimiter(cached_assigned_issuables_count(current_user, :merge_requests, :opened))
+                - merge_requests_count = cached_assigned_issuables_count(current_user, :merge_requests, :opened)
+                %span.badge.merge-requests-count{ class: ('hidden' if merge_requests_count.zero?) }
+                  = number_with_delimiter(merge_requests_count)
             %li
               = link_to dashboard_todos_path, title: 'Todos', aria: { label: "Todos" }, class: 'shortcuts-todos', data: {toggle: 'tooltip', placement: 'bottom', container: 'body'} do
                 = icon('check-circle fw')
-                %span.badge.todos-count
+                %span.badge.todos-count{ class: ('hidden' if todos_pending_count.zero?) }
                   = todos_count_format(todos_pending_count)
             %li.header-user.dropdown
               = link_to current_user, class: "header-user-dropdown-toggle", data: { toggle: "dropdown" } do
diff --git a/changelogs/unreleased/dz-hide-zero-counter.yml b/changelogs/unreleased/dz-hide-zero-counter.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..45f35044c48
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/unreleased/dz-hide-zero-counter.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+---
+title: Hide header counters for issue/mr/todos if zero
+merge_request: 10506
+author:
diff --git a/spec/features/dashboard/issuables_counter_spec.rb b/spec/features/dashboard/issuables_counter_spec.rb
index a1718912fc6..4fca7577e74 100644
--- a/spec/features/dashboard/issuables_counter_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/dashboard/issuables_counter_spec.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 require 'spec_helper'
 
-describe 'Navigation bar counter', feature: true, js: true, caching: true do
+describe 'Navigation bar counter', feature: true, caching: true do
   let(:user) { create(:user) }
   let(:project) { create(:empty_project, namespace: user.namespace) }
   let(:issue) { create(:issue, project: project) }
@@ -13,33 +13,48 @@ describe 'Navigation bar counter', feature: true, js: true, caching: true do
   end
 
   it 'reflects dashboard issues count' do
-    visit issues_dashboard_path
+    visit issues_path
 
     expect_counters('issues', '1')
 
     issue.update(assignee: nil)
-    visit issues_dashboard_path
 
-    expect_counters('issues', '1')
+    Timecop.travel(3.minutes.from_now) do
+      visit issues_path
+
+      expect_counters('issues', '0')
+    end
   end
 
   it 'reflects dashboard merge requests count' do
-    visit merge_requests_dashboard_path
+    visit merge_requests_path
 
     expect_counters('merge_requests', '1')
 
     merge_request.update(assignee: nil)
-    visit merge_requests_dashboard_path
 
-    expect_counters('merge_requests', '1')
+    Timecop.travel(3.minutes.from_now) do
+      visit merge_requests_path
+
+      expect_counters('merge_requests', '0')
+    end
+  end
+
+  def issues_path
+    issues_dashboard_path(assignee_id: user.id)
+  end
+
+  def merge_requests_path
+    merge_requests_dashboard_path(assignee_id: user.id)
   end
 
   def expect_counters(issuable_type, count)
-    dashboard_count = find('li.active')
-    find('.global-dropdown-toggle').click
+    dashboard_count = find('.nav-links li.active')
     nav_count = find(".dashboard-shortcuts-#{issuable_type}")
+    header_count = find(".header-content .#{issuable_type.tr('_', '-')}-count")
 
-    expect(nav_count).to have_content(count)
     expect(dashboard_count).to have_content(count)
+    expect(nav_count).to have_content(count)
+    expect(header_count).to have_content(count)
   end
 end