Index: chapterx-frontend/src/components/layout/Navbar.tsx
===================================================================
--- chapterx-frontend/src/components/layout/Navbar.tsx	(revision b62cefc14094ca5ac7154f7d48797a1e6c444935)
+++ chapterx-frontend/src/components/layout/Navbar.tsx	(revision d300631ac3354730c3b03cb7b160974af50e7894)
@@ -14,6 +14,10 @@
   const location = useLocation()
   const { currentUser, logout } = useAuthStore()
-  const { notifications } = useNotificationStore()
+  const { notifications, fetchUserNotifications } = useNotificationStore()
   const unread = notifications.filter(n => !n.is_read).length
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (currentUser) fetchUserNotifications(currentUser.user_id)
+  }, [currentUser?.user_id])
 
   const [mobileOpen, setMobileOpen] = useState(false)
@@ -100,5 +104,5 @@
                 <div className="relative" ref={notifRef}>
                   <button
-                    onClick={() => { setNotifOpen(!notifOpen); setUserMenuOpen(false) }}
+                    onClick={() => { const opening = !notifOpen; setNotifOpen(opening); setUserMenuOpen(false); if (opening && currentUser) fetchUserNotifications(currentUser.user_id) }}
                     className="relative p-2 rounded-lg text-slate-400 hover:text-white hover:bg-slate-800 transition-colors"
                   >