diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/sidebar-profile.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/sidebar-profile.tsx
index bd1209ec..4fd7ee17 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/sidebar-profile.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/sidebar-profile.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { useNavigate } from "react-router-dom";
 import { BellIcon } from "@primer/octicons-react";
 import { useAppSelector, useUserDetails } from "@renderer/hooks";
-import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useState } from "react";
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from "react";
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
 import SteamLogo from "@renderer/assets/steam-logo.svg?react";
 import { Avatar } from "../avatar/avatar";
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ import { logger } from "@renderer/logger";
 import type { NotificationCountResponse } from "@types";
 import "./sidebar-profile.scss";
 
+const NOTIFICATION_POLL_INTERVAL_MS = 5 * 60 * 1000;
+
 export function SidebarProfile() {
   const navigate = useNavigate();
 
@@ -20,51 +22,78 @@ export function SidebarProfile() {
   const { gameRunning } = useAppSelector((state) => state.gameRunning);
 
   const [notificationCount, setNotificationCount] = useState(0);
+  const apiNotificationCountRef = useRef(0);
+  const userDetailsRef = useRef(userDetails);
 
-  const fetchNotificationCount = useCallback(async () => {
+  // Keep userDetailsRef in sync
+  useEffect(() => {
+    userDetailsRef.current = userDetails;
+  }, [userDetails]);
+
+  const fetchLocalNotificationCount = useCallback(async () => {
+    try {
+      const localCount = await window.electron.getLocalNotificationsCount();
+      setNotificationCount(localCount + apiNotificationCountRef.current);
+    } catch (error) {
+      logger.error("Failed to fetch local notification count", error);
+    }
+  }, []);
+
+  const fetchFullNotificationCount = useCallback(async () => {
     try {
-      // Always fetch local notification count
       const localCount = await window.electron.getLocalNotificationsCount();
 
-      // Fetch API notification count only if logged in
-      let apiCount = 0;
-      if (userDetails) {
+      if (userDetailsRef.current) {
         try {
           const response =
             await window.electron.hydraApi.get<NotificationCountResponse>(
               "/profile/notifications/count",
               { needsAuth: true }
             );
-          apiCount = response.count;
+          apiNotificationCountRef.current = response.count;
         } catch {
           // Ignore API errors
         }
+      } else {
+        apiNotificationCountRef.current = 0;
       }
 
-      setNotificationCount(localCount + apiCount);
+      setNotificationCount(localCount + apiNotificationCountRef.current);
     } catch (error) {
       logger.error("Failed to fetch notification count", error);
     }
-  }, [userDetails]);
+  }, []);
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    fetchNotificationCount();
+    fetchFullNotificationCount();
 
-    const interval = setInterval(fetchNotificationCount, 60000);
+    const interval = setInterval(
+      fetchFullNotificationCount,
+      NOTIFICATION_POLL_INTERVAL_MS
+    );
     return () => clearInterval(interval);
-  }, [fetchNotificationCount]);
+  }, [fetchFullNotificationCount]);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (userDetails) {
+      fetchFullNotificationCount();
+    } else {
+      apiNotificationCountRef.current = 0;
+      fetchLocalNotificationCount();
+    }
+  }, [userDetails, fetchFullNotificationCount, fetchLocalNotificationCount]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     const unsubscribe = window.electron.onLocalNotificationCreated(() => {
-      fetchNotificationCount();
+      fetchLocalNotificationCount();
     });
 
     return () => unsubscribe();
-  }, [fetchNotificationCount]);
+  }, [fetchLocalNotificationCount]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     const handleNotificationsChange = () => {
-      fetchNotificationCount();
+      fetchLocalNotificationCount();
     };
 
     window.addEventListener("notificationsChanged", handleNotificationsChange);
@@ -74,15 +103,18 @@ export function SidebarProfile() {
         handleNotificationsChange
       );
     };
-  }, [fetchNotificationCount]);
+  }, [fetchLocalNotificationCount]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    const unsubscribe = window.electron.onSyncNotificationCount(() => {
-      fetchNotificationCount();
-    });
+    const unsubscribe = window.electron.onSyncNotificationCount(
+      (notification) => {
+        apiNotificationCountRef.current = notification.notificationCount;
+        fetchLocalNotificationCount();
+      }
+    );
 
     return () => unsubscribe();
-  }, [fetchNotificationCount]);
+  }, [fetchLocalNotificationCount]);
 
   const handleProfileClick = () => {
     if (userDetails === null) {