diff --git a/src/js/_enqueues/wp/updates.js b/src/js/_enqueues/wp/updates.js
index 9f3b80b843d46..d807b10eebd53 100644
--- a/src/js/_enqueues/wp/updates.js
+++ b/src/js/_enqueues/wp/updates.js
@@ -356,13 +356,17 @@
 	/**
 	 * Refreshes update counts everywhere on the screen.
 	 *
+	 * Top-level menu items repeat their count in the submenu header,
+	 * which is shown when the admin menu is folded.
+	 *
 	 * @since 4.7.0
+	 * @since 7.2.0 Also refreshes the counts in folded menu submenu headers.
 	 */
 	wp.updates.refreshCount = function() {
 		var $adminBarUpdates              = $( '#wp-admin-bar-updates' ),
 			$dashboardNavMenuUpdateCount  = $( 'a[href="update-core.php"] .update-plugins' ),
-			$pluginsNavMenuUpdateCount    = $( 'a[href="plugins.php"] .update-plugins' ),
-			$appearanceNavMenuUpdateCount = $( 'a[href="themes.php"] .update-plugins' ),
+			$pluginsNavMenuUpdateCount    = $( 'a[href="plugins.php"] .update-plugins, #menu-plugins .wp-submenu-head .update-plugins' ),
+			$appearanceNavMenuUpdateCount = $( 'a[href="themes.php"] .update-plugins, #menu-appearance .wp-submenu-head .update-plugins' ),
 			itemCount;
 
 		$adminBarUpdates.find( '.ab-label' ).text( settings.totals.counts.total );
diff --git a/tests/qunit/wp-admin/js/updates.js b/tests/qunit/wp-admin/js/updates.js
index 9d3948811abfd..26e7f5dc1ec06 100644
--- a/tests/qunit/wp-admin/js/updates.js
+++ b/tests/qunit/wp-admin/js/updates.js
@@ -15,9 +15,11 @@ jQuery( function( $ ) {
 		var menuItemCount  = $( '#menu-plugins' ).find( '.plugin-count' ).eq( 0 ).text();
 		var screenReaderItemCount = $( '#wp-admin-bar-updates' ).find( '.screen-reader-text' ).text();
 		var adminItemCount = $( '#wp-admin-bar-updates' ).find( '.ab-label' ).text();
+		var submenuHeadCount = $( '#menu-plugins .wp-submenu-head' ).find( '.plugin-count' ).text();
 		assert.equal( menuItemCount, 2, 'Initial value is correct' );
 		assert.equal( screenReaderItemCount, '2 Plugin Updates', 'Initial value is correct' );
 		assert.equal( adminItemCount, 2, 'Initial value is correct' );
+		assert.equal( submenuHeadCount, 2, 'Initial submenu header value is correct' );
 
 		wp.updates.decrementCount( 'plugin' );
 
@@ -25,12 +27,20 @@ jQuery( function( $ ) {
 		menuItemCount  = $( '#menu-plugins' ).find( '.plugin-count' ).eq( 0 ).text();
 		screenReaderItemCount = $( '#wp-admin-bar-updates' ).find( '.screen-reader-text' ).text();
 		adminItemCount = $( '#wp-admin-bar-updates' ).find( '.ab-label' ).text();
+		submenuHeadCount = $( '#menu-plugins .wp-submenu-head' ).find( '.plugin-count' ).text();
 		assert.equal( menuItemCount, 1 );
 
 		// @todo: Update screen reader count.
 		// Should the screenReader count change? Is that announced to the user?
 		// assert.equal( screenReaderItemCount, '1 Plugin Update' );
 		assert.equal( adminItemCount, 1 );
+
+		// The submenu header shows the count when the admin menu is folded.
+		assert.equal( submenuHeadCount, 1, 'Submenu header count is updated' );
+
+		// With no updates left, the count is removed from the menu item and its submenu header.
+		wp.updates.decrementCount( 'plugin' );
+		assert.equal( $( '#menu-plugins' ).find( '.plugin-count' ).length, 0, 'Both counts are removed when no updates remain' );
 	});
 
 	QUnit.test( '`beforeunload` should only fire when locked', function( assert ) {