diff --git a/src/Illuminate/Notifications/DatabaseNotification.php b/src/Illuminate/Notifications/DatabaseNotification.php
index 0dfc7e53015c..14bc9d659f97 100644
--- a/src/Illuminate/Notifications/DatabaseNotification.php
+++ b/src/Illuminate/Notifications/DatabaseNotification.php
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 namespace Illuminate\Notifications;
 
+use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Builder;
 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;
 
 class DatabaseNotification extends Model
@@ -98,6 +99,28 @@ public function unread()
         return $this->read_at === null;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Scope a query to only include read notifications.
+     *
+     * @param  \Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Builder  $query
+     * @return \Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Builder
+     */
+    public function scopeRead(Builder $query)
+    {
+        return $query->whereNotNull('read_at');
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Scope a query to only include unread notifications.
+     *
+     * @param  \Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Builder  $query
+     * @return \Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Builder
+     */
+    public function scopeUnread(Builder $query)
+    {
+        return $query->whereNull('read_at');
+    }
+
     /**
      * Create a new database notification collection instance.
      *
diff --git a/src/Illuminate/Notifications/HasDatabaseNotifications.php b/src/Illuminate/Notifications/HasDatabaseNotifications.php
index 981d8e552583..5f999da9a34d 100644
--- a/src/Illuminate/Notifications/HasDatabaseNotifications.php
+++ b/src/Illuminate/Notifications/HasDatabaseNotifications.php
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ public function notifications()
      */
     public function readNotifications()
     {
-        return $this->notifications()->whereNotNull('read_at');
+        return $this->notifications()->read();
     }
 
     /**
@@ -31,6 +31,6 @@ public function readNotifications()
      */
     public function unreadNotifications()
     {
-        return $this->notifications()->whereNull('read_at');
+        return $this->notifications()->unread();
     }
 }