Index: pym/_emerge/__init__.py
===================================================================
--- pym/_emerge/__init__.py	(revision 12633)
+++ pym/_emerge/__init__.py	(working copy)
@@ -12220,8 +12220,8 @@
 	_flush_elog_mod_echo()
 
 	counter_hash = settings.get("PORTAGE_COUNTER_HASH")
-	if counter_hash is not None and \
-		counter_hash == vardbapi._counter_hash():
+	if "--pretend" in myopts or (counter_hash is not None and \
+		counter_hash == vardbapi._counter_hash()):
 		display_news_notification(root_config, myopts)
 		# If vdb state has not changed then there's nothing else to do.
 		sys.exit(retval)