diff --git a/kez-chat/web/src/App.svelte b/kez-chat/web/src/App.svelte
index 10f35ba..0445c4c 100644
--- a/kez-chat/web/src/App.svelte
+++ b/kez-chat/web/src/App.svelte
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
   import { onMount } from "svelte";
   import { hasStoredIdentity } from "./lib/identity-store.js";
   import { session } from "./lib/store.svelte.js";
+  import { inboxService } from "./lib/inbox-service.svelte.js";
 
   import Landing from "./routes/Landing.svelte";
   import CreateAccount from "./routes/CreateAccount.svelte";
@@ -46,7 +47,17 @@
     {#if session.unlocked}
       <nav class="flex items-center gap-4 text-sm">
         <a href="#/dashboard" class="text-gray-700 hover:text-gray-900">Dashboard</a>
-        <a href="#/messages" class="text-gray-700 hover:text-gray-900">Messages</a>
+        <a href="#/messages" class="text-gray-700 hover:text-gray-900 inline-flex items-center gap-1.5">
+          Messages
+          {#if inboxService.unreadCount > 0 && $location !== "/messages"}
+            <span
+              class="inline-flex items-center justify-center min-w-5 h-5 px-1.5 text-xs font-semibold bg-red-600 text-white rounded-full"
+              aria-label="{inboxService.unreadCount} unread"
+            >
+              {inboxService.unreadCount > 9 ? "9+" : inboxService.unreadCount}
+            </span>
+          {/if}
+        </a>
         <a href="#/claims" class="text-gray-700 hover:text-gray-900">Claims</a>
         <span class="text-gray-400">|</span>
         <span class="text-gray-500">{session.unlocked.handle}@{session.unlocked.server}</span>
diff --git a/kez-chat/web/src/lib/inbox-service.svelte.ts b/kez-chat/web/src/lib/inbox-service.svelte.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ef5412a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kez-chat/web/src/lib/inbox-service.svelte.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,203 @@
+// Global inbox service — keeps the SSE stream + heartbeat poll alive
+// for as long as the session is unlocked, regardless of which route
+// the user is on.
+//
+// Why a singleton: previously the SSE connection was scoped to the
+// Messages component's lifecycle. Navigating to Dashboard / Claims /
+// etc. closed the stream — new messages just piled up server-side
+// until the user came back. With this service, the stream stays open
+// the whole session and the Messages page just reads from the same
+// store everyone else does.
+//
+// Exposes reactive state (Svelte 5 `$state` on a class instance):
+//   • streamStatus — "connecting" / "live" / "reconnecting" / "off"
+//   • unreadCount  — how many new messages have arrived since the user
+//                    last visited the Messages page. Drives the nav
+//                    badge.
+//
+// Notification policy:
+//   • If Notification.permission === "granted" AND the document isn't
+//     visible (tab in background, or user on a different app), fire a
+//     desktop/system notification with the sender's display name.
+//   • In-page UX (toast / banner) lives in the component layer.
+
+import {
+  decrypt,
+  pollInbox,
+  streamInbox,
+  type InboxMessage,
+  type StreamHandle,
+} from "./messages.js";
+import { lookupByPrimary } from "./api.js";
+import {
+  appendInbound,
+  getConversation,
+  getGlobalCursor,
+} from "./conversations-store.js";
+import type { Identity } from "./kez.js";
+
+const POLL_INTERVAL_MS = 30_000;
+
+export type StreamStatus = "off" | "connecting" | "live" | "reconnecting";
+
+class InboxService {
+  status = $state<StreamStatus>("off");
+  unreadCount = $state(0);
+  /** Last decode/poll error, surfaced to the Messages footer. */
+  lastError = $state<string | null>(null);
+  /** Wall-clock of the last heartbeat poll — debug aid in Messages footer. */
+  lastPolledAt = $state<string | null>(null);
+
+  #handle: string | null = null;
+  #seed: Uint8Array | null = null;
+  #stream: StreamHandle | null = null;
+  #pollTimer: ReturnType<typeof setInterval> | null = null;
+  /** Callbacks for "new message arrived" — Messages page subscribes to repaint. */
+  #listeners = new Set<() => void>();
+
+  /** Start streaming for this session. Called from App.svelte on unlock. */
+  start(handle: string, seed: Uint8Array) {
+    // No-op if already running for this handle.
+    if (this.#handle === handle && this.#stream) return;
+    this.stop();
+    this.#handle = handle;
+    this.#seed = seed;
+    this.status = "connecting";
+
+    this.#stream = streamInbox({
+      handle,
+      seed,
+      onMessage: (m) => void this.#ingest(m, /*viaPush=*/ true),
+      onStatus: (s) => (this.status = s),
+    });
+    this.#pollTimer = setInterval(() => void this.#heartbeat(), POLL_INTERVAL_MS);
+    // Eager first poll so we catch up anything queued before this session.
+    void this.#heartbeat();
+  }
+
+  /** Stop everything. Called on lock + on tab close. */
+  stop() {
+    this.#stream?.close();
+    this.#stream = null;
+    if (this.#pollTimer) clearInterval(this.#pollTimer);
+    this.#pollTimer = null;
+    this.#handle = null;
+    this.#seed = null;
+    this.status = "off";
+  }
+
+  /** Messages page calls this when the user lands on /messages. */
+  markAllRead() {
+    this.unreadCount = 0;
+  }
+
+  /** Components can subscribe to be notified when ingest succeeds. */
+  onMessage(fn: () => void): () => void {
+    this.#listeners.add(fn);
+    return () => this.#listeners.delete(fn);
+  }
+
+  async #heartbeat() {
+    if (!this.#handle || !this.#seed) return;
+    try {
+      const since = await getGlobalCursor();
+      const { messages } = await pollInbox({
+        handle: this.#handle,
+        seed: this.#seed,
+        since,
+      });
+      for (const m of messages) await this.#ingest(m, /*viaPush=*/ false);
+      this.lastError = null;
+      this.lastPolledAt = new Date().toISOString();
+    } catch (e) {
+      this.lastError = (e as Error).message;
+    }
+  }
+
+  async #ingest(m: InboxMessage, viaPush: boolean) {
+    if (!this.#handle || !this.#seed) return;
+    try {
+      const pt = await decrypt(m.envelope, this.#handle, this.#seed);
+      // Resolve sender's display handle (cache on conversation row).
+      let displayName = "";
+      const existing = await getConversation(pt.from);
+      if (existing?.peer_handle) {
+        displayName = existing.peer_handle;
+      } else {
+        try {
+          const record = await lookupByPrimary(pt.from);
+          displayName = record.fqhn;
+        } catch {
+          // Unknown to this server (cross-server v0.2). Show truncated key later.
+        }
+      }
+      await appendInbound({
+        peer_primary: pt.from as Identity,
+        peer_handle: displayName,
+        seq: m.seq,
+        body: pt.body,
+        ts: pt.sent_at,
+      });
+      this.unreadCount += 1;
+      this.#notifyListeners();
+      if (viaPush) this.#fireSystemNotification(displayName || pt.from, pt.body);
+    } catch (e) {
+      console.error(`inbox-service: seq ${m.seq} decrypt failed`, e);
+    }
+  }
+
+  #notifyListeners() {
+    for (const fn of this.#listeners) {
+      try {
+        fn();
+      } catch (e) {
+        console.error("inbox-service: listener threw", e);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Fire a system notification if the page isn't visible. We deliberately
+   * skip notifications while the user is actively looking at the tab —
+   * the in-app toast / live-updating chat is the better signal there.
+   */
+  #fireSystemNotification(sender: string, body: string) {
+    if (typeof Notification === "undefined") return;
+    if (Notification.permission !== "granted") return;
+    if (typeof document !== "undefined" && document.visibilityState === "visible") return;
+    try {
+      const preview = body.length > 80 ? body.slice(0, 80) + "…" : body;
+      new Notification(`kez-chat · ${sender}`, {
+        body: preview,
+        // Use the maskable icon — looks right on Android lock screens.
+        icon: "/pwa-192x192.png",
+        badge: "/pwa-64x64.png",
+        tag: "kez-chat-inbox", // collapse multiple notifications into one
+      });
+    } catch (e) {
+      console.error("inbox-service: notification failed", e);
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+/** Singleton — App.svelte starts/stops, Messages page reads from it. */
+export const inboxService = new InboxService();
+
+// ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// Browser-notification permission helpers — called from a user-gesture
+// handler in the Dashboard "Enable notifications" button.
+// ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+export function notificationsSupported(): boolean {
+  return typeof Notification !== "undefined";
+}
+
+export function notificationsPermission(): NotificationPermission | "unsupported" {
+  if (!notificationsSupported()) return "unsupported";
+  return Notification.permission;
+}
+
+export async function requestNotificationsPermission(): Promise<NotificationPermission | "unsupported"> {
+  if (!notificationsSupported()) return "unsupported";
+  return await Notification.requestPermission();
+}
diff --git a/kez-chat/web/src/lib/store.svelte.ts b/kez-chat/web/src/lib/store.svelte.ts
index 99e1c7c..ef81757 100644
--- a/kez-chat/web/src/lib/store.svelte.ts
+++ b/kez-chat/web/src/lib/store.svelte.ts
@@ -1,16 +1,23 @@
 // Global session state — Svelte 5 runes. Tracks the unlocked identity
 // (if any) for the current browser session.
+//
+// Also owns the inbox-service lifecycle: starting the SSE stream on
+// unlock means new messages arrive regardless of which route the user
+// is on (Dashboard, Claims, etc.), driving the unread badge in the nav.
 
 import type { UnlockedIdentity } from "./identity-store.js";
+import { inboxService } from "./inbox-service.svelte.js";
 
 class Session {
   unlocked = $state<UnlockedIdentity | null>(null);
 
   setUnlocked(id: UnlockedIdentity) {
     this.unlocked = id;
+    inboxService.start(id.handle, id.seed);
   }
 
   lock() {
+    inboxService.stop();
     this.unlocked = null;
   }
 }
diff --git a/kez-chat/web/src/routes/Dashboard.svelte b/kez-chat/web/src/routes/Dashboard.svelte
index 7d11a4a..8daacbb 100644
--- a/kez-chat/web/src/routes/Dashboard.svelte
+++ b/kez-chat/web/src/routes/Dashboard.svelte
@@ -17,6 +17,11 @@
     removeStoredBiometric,
     isPlatformAuthenticatorAvailable,
   } from "../lib/webauthn.js";
+  import {
+    notificationsSupported,
+    notificationsPermission,
+    requestNotificationsPermission,
+  } from "../lib/inbox-service.svelte.js";
 
   let registryRecord = $state<any | null>(null);
   let loading = $state(true);
@@ -33,6 +38,10 @@
   let biometricBusy = $state(false);
   let biometricError = $state<string | null>(null);
 
+  // Browser notification permission state
+  let notifSupported = $state(false);
+  let notifPerm = $state<NotificationPermission | "unsupported">("default");
+
   // Derived buckets for the verified-claims section.
   const verifiedClaims = $derived(
     claims.filter((c) => c.last_verify?.status === "ok"),
@@ -51,6 +60,8 @@
     }
     claims = await listClaims();
     await refreshBiometricStatus();
+    notifSupported = notificationsSupported();
+    notifPerm = notificationsPermission();
     try {
       registryRecord = await lookup(session.unlocked.handle);
     } catch (e) {
@@ -90,6 +101,10 @@
     }
   }
 
+  async function enableNotifications() {
+    notifPerm = await requestNotificationsPermission();
+  }
+
   async function disableBiometric() {
     if (!confirm("Disable biometric unlock for this device? You'll need your passphrase to unlock next time.")) return;
     await removeStoredBiometric();
@@ -301,6 +316,38 @@
       {/if}
     </section>
 
+    <section class="border border-gray-200 rounded-lg p-6 bg-white">
+      <p class="text-xs text-gray-500 uppercase tracking-wide mb-2">Notifications</p>
+      <p class="text-sm text-gray-700">
+        Get a system notification when a new message arrives while you're
+        in another tab or app. Your browser will ask once — pick "Allow".
+        Notifications are silent while you're actively looking at this tab.
+      </p>
+
+      {#if !notifSupported}
+        <p class="mt-3 text-sm text-gray-500 italic">
+          Notifications aren't supported in this browser.
+        </p>
+      {:else if notifPerm === "granted"}
+        <p class="mt-3 text-sm text-green-800 bg-green-50 border border-green-200 rounded p-3">
+          ✓ Notifications enabled. New messages will pop up when this tab
+          isn't visible.
+        </p>
+      {:else if notifPerm === "denied"}
+        <p class="mt-3 text-sm text-amber-800 bg-amber-50 border border-amber-200 rounded p-3">
+          You blocked notifications for this site. Re-enable them in your
+          browser's site settings if you change your mind.
+        </p>
+      {:else}
+        <button
+          class="mt-3 px-3 py-2 text-sm bg-gray-900 text-white rounded-md hover:bg-gray-700 flex items-center gap-2"
+          onclick={enableNotifications}
+        >
+          <span>🔔</span> Enable notifications
+        </button>
+      {/if}
+    </section>
+
     <section class="border border-gray-200 rounded-lg p-6 bg-white">
       <p class="text-xs text-gray-500 uppercase tracking-wide mb-2">Backup</p>
       <p class="text-sm text-gray-700">
diff --git a/kez-chat/web/src/routes/Messages.svelte b/kez-chat/web/src/routes/Messages.svelte
index 837c58b..5a0d9bd 100644
--- a/kez-chat/web/src/routes/Messages.svelte
+++ b/kez-chat/web/src/routes/Messages.svelte
@@ -2,22 +2,13 @@
   import { onMount, onDestroy } from "svelte";
   import { push } from "svelte-spa-router";
   import { session } from "../lib/store.svelte.js";
-  import {
-    decrypt,
-    pollInbox,
-    sendMessage,
-    streamInbox,
-    type InboxMessage,
-    type StreamHandle,
-  } from "../lib/messages.js";
-  import { lookup, lookupByPrimary, ApiError } from "../lib/api.js";
+  import { sendMessage } from "../lib/messages.js";
+  import { lookup, ApiError } from "../lib/api.js";
+  import { inboxService } from "../lib/inbox-service.svelte.js";
   import EmojiButton from "../lib/EmojiButton.svelte";
   import {
-    appendInbound,
     appendOutbound,
     ensureConversation,
-    getConversation,
-    getGlobalCursor,
     listConversations,
     type Conversation,
   } from "../lib/conversations-store.js";
@@ -83,11 +74,8 @@
     if (count <= 6) return "lg";
     return null;
   }
-  let pollError = $state<string | null>(null);
-  let lastPolledAt = $state<string | null>(null);
-  let pollTimer: ReturnType<typeof setInterval> | null = null;
-  let streamHandle: StreamHandle | null = null;
-  let streamStatus = $state<"connecting" | "live" | "reconnecting">("connecting");
+  /** Unsubscribe handle for the inbox-service "new message" listener. */
+  let unsubscribe: (() => void) | null = null;
 
   // "Start chat with" lookup state.
   let newPeerInput = $state("");
@@ -97,97 +85,29 @@
   // Toast for the share-link copy action.
   let copied = $state(false);
 
-  // Background heartbeat — SSE handles real-time delivery; this just
-  // catches anything missed during a reconnect window.
-  const POLL_INTERVAL_MS = 30_000;
-
   onMount(async () => {
     if (!session.unlocked) {
       push("/unlock");
       return;
     }
     await refresh();
-    await pollOnce(); // catch-up before SSE goes live
-
-    // Real-time push via SSE — server fires per-message as soon as
-    // POST /v1/messages hands off the row to the broker. Sub-second
-    // latency in the common case.
-    streamHandle = streamInbox({
-      handle: session.unlocked.handle,
-      seed: session.unlocked.seed,
-      onMessage: handlePushedMessage,
-      onStatus: (s) => (streamStatus = s),
-    });
-
-    // Background heartbeat in case SSE drops + reconnects between events.
-    pollTimer = setInterval(pollOnce, POLL_INTERVAL_MS);
+    // Subscribe to the always-on inbox service — re-render whenever a
+    // new message lands. The service is already running (it started on
+    // session unlock in store.svelte.ts) regardless of which route the
+    // user was on.
+    unsubscribe = inboxService.onMessage(() => void refresh());
+    // Landing here = the user has seen new messages; reset the badge.
+    inboxService.markAllRead();
   });
 
   onDestroy(() => {
-    if (pollTimer) clearInterval(pollTimer);
-    streamHandle?.close();
+    unsubscribe?.();
   });
 
-  /** Decrypt + cache one incoming envelope from SSE or polling. */
-  async function ingest(m: InboxMessage) {
-    if (!session.unlocked) return;
-    try {
-      const pt = await decrypt(
-        m.envelope,
-        session.unlocked.handle,
-        session.unlocked.seed,
-      );
-      let handle = "";
-      const existing = await getConversation(pt.from);
-      if (existing?.peer_handle) {
-        handle = existing.peer_handle;
-      } else {
-        try {
-          const record = await lookupByPrimary(pt.from);
-          handle = record.fqhn;
-        } catch {
-          // unknown to this server — leave blank, UI will show short key
-        }
-      }
-      await appendInbound({
-        peer_primary: pt.from,
-        peer_handle: handle,
-        seq: m.seq,
-        body: pt.body,
-        ts: pt.sent_at,
-      });
-    } catch (e) {
-      console.error(`seq ${m.seq}: decrypt failed`, e);
-    }
-  }
-
-  async function handlePushedMessage(m: InboxMessage) {
-    await ingest(m);
-    await refresh();
-  }
-
   async function refresh() {
     conversations = await listConversations();
   }
 
-  async function pollOnce() {
-    if (!session.unlocked) return;
-    try {
-      const since = await getGlobalCursor();
-      const { messages } = await pollInbox({
-        handle: session.unlocked.handle,
-        seed: session.unlocked.seed,
-        since,
-      });
-      for (const m of messages) await ingest(m);
-      if (messages.length > 0) await refresh();
-      pollError = null;
-      lastPolledAt = new Date().toISOString();
-    } catch (e) {
-      pollError = (e as Error).message;
-    }
-  }
-
   /** "Start chat with handle" — resolve, ensure conversation, open it. */
   async function startConversation() {
     if (!session.unlocked || !newPeerInput.trim()) return;
@@ -374,19 +294,22 @@
       {/if}
     </div>
 
-    <!-- Footer status -->
+    <!-- Footer status — reads from the global inbox service so it
+         reflects the SAME connection that's running everywhere else. -->
     <div class="p-2 border-t border-gray-200 text-xs text-gray-500 space-y-0.5">
       <p>
-        {#if streamStatus === "live"}
+        {#if inboxService.status === "live"}
           <span class="text-green-700">● live</span>
-        {:else if streamStatus === "reconnecting"}
+        {:else if inboxService.status === "reconnecting"}
           <span class="text-amber-700">● reconnecting…</span>
-        {:else}
+        {:else if inboxService.status === "connecting"}
           <span class="text-gray-500">○ connecting…</span>
+        {:else}
+          <span class="text-gray-400">○ off</span>
         {/if}
       </p>
-      {#if pollError}
-        <p class="text-red-700">⚠ {pollError}</p>
+      {#if inboxService.lastError}
+        <p class="text-red-700">⚠ {inboxService.lastError}</p>
       {/if}
     </div>
   </aside>